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Tips to reduce your holiday stress

‘Tis the season to be more . . . relaxed? Learn how to stretch your money while holiday shopping and new ways to fuel your mind and body.
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Stretch your money further this year

Presents, décor, food, and more all seem to add up faster during the holidays. With a few tricks, you can get what you need, while spending less.

You can easily compare the price of a product you want across retailers now with a single click, using price comparison in Microsoft Edge. Use it for your holiday shopping list to save you money as you shop. Try it out today by Creating a collection and adding a product to it. When you click “compare price to other retailers,” you’ll see a list of prices of that item across other retailers along with direct links to their pages so you can easily complete your purchase.

Find cash-back deals from participating merchants easily—right from the Microsoft Bing search results page. You no longer have to look for cash-back offers across multiple websites; now, when you search for products, brands or categories, you’ll see great Bing Rebates offers right in the Bing search results.

See all cash-back deals, including the latest deals when you sign in with your Microsoft Account here. You can also stay up to date on price drops and rebates by using Bing while shopping online. You can even get loyalty points back!

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Keep your holiday gifts a secret

Shop using InPrivate browsing and search in Microsoft Edge, so your history isn’t saved on your computer. Learn about this and more reasons why Edge is the best browser for shopping this holiday.

Write down your thoughts

While the holiday season can be merry and festive, it's also a time of reflection and can sometimes start to feel dark and lonely. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, writing your thoughts and feelings in a journal may help.

A journal is great for organizing whatever's on your mind. You can use it to understand and express your emotions or to keep track of your daily to-do list. Motivational quotes and gratitude lists are also good for staying energized and grateful during periods of stress.

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Organize yourself each day with a bullet journal

Use bullet journaling in the morning as a quick way to jot down your thoughts and manage your daily to-do list. Get started with this Microsoft Word template.

To be consistent with your journaling habit, use habit-stacking to associate it with something you do every day.

For example, you can journal your plan for the day while drinking your morning coffee or eating breakfast. At night, try journaling after you brush your teeth and climb into bed.

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Empty your mind for a better night’s rest

Jot down your thoughts into your OneNote journal on your phone, so you can tuck your thoughts in and get a good night’s sleep.

Connect with others

You might not be able to meet in person, but you can still get in touch. To keep the holiday spirit going, use Microsoft Teams to stream a virtual holiday dinner, candle lighting, or opening your holiday gifts.

Presents, travel plans, in-laws? Stress and anxiety can be an unwelcome visitor during the holidays. However, if you add these tips into your routine, you’re on your way to managing and maintaining your mental health better for a more relaxed holiday season.

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