7 Tips for Reducing Black Friday & Holiday Stress

November 27, 2013January 5, 2014 JessicaGimeno 0 Comments

Today I’m excited to continue blogging for WEGO’s National Health Blog Post Month. And today’s question is: Black Friday and Holiday Shopping:  In preparation for Black Friday holiday shopping, give some advice on how to survive the long lines and packed stores. How do you find the best bathrooms? How do you stay comfortable on your feet? Give us some tips before heading to the stores.

MY ANSWER: 7 Tips for Reducing Black Friday Stress

1) Avoid Black Friday: 1 in 7 people have the flu according to the Centers for Disease Control. As previously discussed, 1 in 4 people do not cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough. Say you encounter 200 shoppers on Black Friday. That means approximately 14 shoppers have the flu and about four of those people are not covering their mouths. (The actual number is 3.5 but since you can’t have 3 ½ people, I rounded up to 4.) I’m assuming shopping will expose you to more than 200 customers. The risks of getting cold, flu, or pneumonia are tremendous. These problems can lead to relapses and hospitalization. Indeed, for some patients, getting the flu is a life or death issue.

2) Shop online: I’ve done a lot of my Christmas shopping online. I’ve looked for days when there is free shipping and discounts. Holiday discounts often start before Black Friday, and you can find some good bargains online.

3) Protect yourself if you must go on Black Friday: Masks and medical gloves can be really helpful (see my previous post about where to get masks).

4) Know where the clean bathrooms are: In my experience, Nordstrom has the cleanest bathrooms (with comfy sofa chairs to rest on). Even if you don’t shop there, you can still use their bathroom.

5) Take breaks throughout the day: See above comment about Nordstom’s comfy chairs.

6) Shop on days that aren’t busy: If you have to go to stores, go on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

7) Wear comfortable shoes: My mom always has the comfiest sneakers when she has to walk long distances.

How do you deal with Black Friday and holiday stress?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post as I continue my daily blogging for WEGO’s National Health Blog Post Month! I’ll be writing about gratitude, and the three things I am most thankful for.