Today I wanted to stay on target with the Holiday spirit. I wrote an article last night on "How to Get Through the Holidays Without Gaining Weight", and today I am tackling another issue that most people face when Christmas is approaching.

The issue I am talking about has to do with stress, because for some strange reason, people are rushing like maniacs during this period!

To solve that problem you need to be prepared, and I have 4 tips that definitely should get you on the right track! Let's check'em out!

=> 1. Plan One Day Ahead

The evening before, you should start by planning your outfit for the next day. Take out that suit/dress, and put it in a place where you easily can access it in the morning. This is the time where you also take out socks, underwear, etc.

You do this do avoid last minute panik, for instance, running around looking for one sock, for your belt, your purse, etc.

You get the point? Everything that has to do with dressing should be planned the night before!

=> 2. Grooming

Men
This has to do with the famous morning-shave. Don't get me wrong, we all have our routines and our different levels of hair-growth, so if you want a sleet shave every morning, then I won't stop you.

But it is highly recommended to get it done the night before, because let's face it, how often don't you end up stressing yourself through the shaving, leaving you with those red and nasty irritation burns on your throat?

Grooming experts say that to get the optimal shave, you should always do it after a warm and steaming shower (your hair-follicles gets smoothen up), and during a time when you don't feel stressed out.

There are also evidence saying that when you have been sleeping (being in a horizontal position) for 8 hours, your face is swollen in the morning and you tend to run an increased risk of getting irritated burns on your skin.

Women
Ladies, you probably (and hopefully) don't shave your legs in the morning (you are often more prepared then us men), but if you decide to put a facial mask on, let's do that the evening before shall we? Yeah, I know, make-up can be a bit tricky to put on the night before!

=> 3. Notes

If you ask almost any successful person in this world how they plan their days, I can almost guarantee you that 90% tell you that they write down some notes the night before. It may include tasks they need to complete the following day, or maybe just some bullet points with things to have in mind for the upcoming day.

So learn from the best, write down some notes on a blank piece of paper (or on your Blackberry/iPhone if you got that as an option). Don't make it an essay, just a couple of words or short sentences that will help you remember when you look back on it the following day.

=> 4. Set the alarm

You have probably heard this one before, but it is a very important rule. People (including me), thinks that 15 min extra of sleep really is going to make a difference, so we set the clock on 06.15 instead of 06.00.

What happens when you do that is that you only end up stressing, and that's something we want to avoid in the morning. A good start is always very important.

But here I am going to ask you to get up not only 15 min earlier, but at least 30 min earlier than usual.

The reason for that is that I highly recommend you to perform a workout as the first thing you do in the morning. There are several reasons for that:

a) Physical activity releases endorphines (your body's "happy hormones"), which means that after a workout, your are going to feel a lot better and be in a better mood.

Research is showing that companies who have their employees getting a workout done during their lunch break, comes back to work much more productive then their fellow colleagues who haven't gone for a workout.

A morning workout has the exact same effect, and I can honestly tell you that I very often perform a short and intense bodyweight workout as the first thing every morning, and I end up being extremely productive and positive throughout the rest of my day.

b) You are all set and done. When you work out in the morning, you can get home from work and not having to bother thinking about how you are going to fit a workout into your schedule this evening, or try to motivate yourself even though you don't feel like working out, etc.

c) All you need is 10-15 min of active work. That's it. 45-60 min is not necessary, I promise you that. Decrease the time and increase the intensity, and I promise you that you'll experience amazing results!

Alright, so now you got a few tips to think about. I actually think it turned out to be a few more than just 4 tips, but hey, that one's on me =)


Stay strong and be prepared,
Jonas

PS. If you find this article to be useful and you decide to take action on it, then I have a perfect gift for you (but only if you act before Dec 10).

I have created a complete 12-day bodyweight program with detailed instructions and pictures, with workouts ranging from 10-15 min, and best of all, it's for FREE!

Click Here to get The Bodyweight Holiday System before it's too late!