Survival of the Sexiest: Play the Holiday Stress Away

I don't know about you, but the end of the year ranks up there as the "most stressful time of the year" for me. While I fall in love with the giving spirit, beautifully-decorated homes, and plethora of festive events, the never-ending to-do list keeps me firmly grounded in "stressed" territory. With gifts to buy, gifts to wrap, finances to manage, multiple holiday parties to attend (better have nice outfits and host gifts too!) and family reunions to plan, the holiday season starts to feel like a powder keg of stress - and I start to act like one too. (Oh, and don't forget New Year's Eve right afterwards!)

What if there was a way around all of this? What if you could simply "play" away all of your holiday stress? Well, there isn't a way to avoid it completely, sorry. But we can take steps to manage our stress during this peak stress point of the year.

All of this, of course, it's much, much easier said than done. After all, I'm the person providing these tips - who clearly is dealing with her own level of holiday stress pretty constantly. (Turns out, knowing the "answers" and actually doing the "answers" are two very different things.)

But hey - let me tell you some of the fun ways I have found stress relief in sexual "play" over the holidays - because those moments - much more than the late nights wrapping gifts - are the ones I remember year after year.

Dedicate "Off Days"

I don't know about you, but once I get into "planning" mode, good luck trying to turn me on - or get me to relax. The biggest solution I've found for this is to intentionally plan days where I will refuse to get into a planning mindset. These days are purely for fun, relaxation, living in the moment, and letting my mind come down from all of the planning.

Yes, it takes a bit of pre-planning in order to ensure I don't have to deal with logistics on that day, but it isn't impossible to pull off! And, as those hours of relaxation accumulate, I feel my sex drive coming back too - which is great for reconnecting with a partner.

For me, it's as simple as saying "Let's talk about that tomorrow" or "Remind me tomorrow" about questions that pop up, but you might find your own way to protect your days off.

Use Your Sex Drive

The sex drive is one of those "lose it or lose it!" things. If you find yourself avoiding sex due to stress over the holidays, your sex drive can take a hit. It becomes a self-fulfilling cycle; you don't feel like having sex, so you don't have sex, which makes you less likely to feel like having sex... - you get the idea.

And it isn't exclusive to partnered sex. Solo love can do the trick very nicely. Plus, a lot of people use masturbation for stress relief. You can too! Even if you feel more stressed than aroused, consider popping on some of your favorite erotic material - and masturbating. Grab a sex toy if that helps you accomplish your goal. As you get absorbed in your task, you'll forget the holiday stress - and you'll likely feel better afterwards, too.

Read: 5 Reasons Why Masturbation is the Greatest

Batch Up Your Logistics

Holidays to plan? Family to see? Gifts to purchase? Carts full of "holiday" food to purchase and bake? DIY kits to pick up in order to "make" those family memories we all crave? Some faux elf to plan an entire adventure for? Instead of letting these things take up multiple days of your life, dedicate a focused time to deal with them. Don't let your Elf on the Shelf require a half-hour of creativity and forethought every day. Instead, plan out your 25 days of your Elf at the beginning of the season and just follow the instructions every day.

This is pretty common marketing and productivity advice, but sometimes we forget to use it on the personal aspects of our lives. Turns out, bulk-prepping all of our home and family to-do lists can help ensure it doesn't constantly bleed into your enjoyment of these activities. So, when your family is excited over the Elf's magical new placement, you can be fully present in their enjoyment instead of thinking about where to put the Elf tomorrow.

The same can be said about other aspects of your holiday. Set aside hours to make a list of the gifts you want to purchase for each person you're purchasing for. Ensure you've made up a full holiday food grocery list, so that isn't swarming in your head all the time. Think of an additional food you need? Add it to your written list and then clear the chalkboard in your head.

And those family memories? Think about (and prep) those kits at the beginning of the month - so when the time comes, you can relax into the activity with your family - and be present during the down time you planned for everyone else!

Steal a Moment

Quickies might be the name of the game during the busy holiday season - but instead of seeing that as a downside, consider seeing it as a personal challenge. What's the quickest way you can fit in some pleasure? When can you sneak away for a fast one - and then reappear 20 minutes later without anyone else being any the wiser? Powerful vibrators, cock rings, and air suction toys will help ensure this is pleasurable for both partners - especially with the shortened time frame.

(Don't think that quickies must include intercourse, either! Getting a body ramped up enough to enjoy intercourse can take time - which you may not have. Instead, experiment with oral and finger pleasure - and sex toys! There's always time for intercourse when you have a bit more time!)