Finals, work presentations, Christmas shopping and holiday cooking really start to pile up. During a time of year that is supposed to be centered around family traditions and good cheer, people seem to be more stressed about December than excited. For students, teachers cram more homework and projects into one week than one person can possibly handle. Big businesses expect presentations to be flawless and end-of-the-year finances to be in check before taking off  for the holiday season. And all of this is to be done BEFORE the shopping.

So if you’re to-do list is suffocating you and sleep is your last priority, these stress relief tips might come in handy for you.

According to the Mayo Clinic, handling stress is a process that you need to start thinking about even before a busy days begins. They suggest planning out your day, breaking large projects into smaller tasks and applying the 10-minute rule to things you dread. Start an awful task, and continue for ten minutes before taking a break. By the end, you’ll most likely be able to work on it for longer periods of time without even noticing. The organization also emphasizes doing a quality job the first time even if it takes longer because once it’s complete, you won’t have to spend hours going back and making changes.

The University of Michigan Health Department suggests these daily tips for your physical and mental stress health:

• Listen to music or place flowers on your desk to help balance the stressful job ahead of you with something beautiful
• If you notice tension anywhere in your body, take a minute to stretch it out
• Take off your shoes if possible
• Enjoy a small break after meals

Relieving stress can even be as simple as taking ten seconds to breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. Because breathing is a repetitive motion, focusing on only your breaths will calm you down.