The holiday sprint has begun! As retailers (and let’s face it, consumers), Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day can be somewhat of a blur. Christmas shopping; end-of-fourth-quarter meetings; first-quarter planning; company Christmas parties; holiday events at our kids’ schools; baking Christmas cookies; dealing with family members; holiday drinks with friends; etc. Whew! All of this activity can cause even the most organized, sane person to have a holiday hangover.

Handling holiday stress is hard. To help soften the blow, I thought I’d summarize some healthy techniques I read about in this article from the Richmond Register that you can use to minimize holiday stress this year (you may even find yourself relaxed and enjoying the holiday season):

  • Forget perfection. The holidays don’t have to be perfect or the same as last year. Don’t sweat it. Instead, focus your energy on enjoying the time spent with loved ones.
  • Reach out. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help. What’s more, helping others and volunteering your time is always a good way to lift your spirits as well.
  • Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other holiday rituals.
  • Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and family will understand if you cannot join in for every party or gathering.
  • Take care of yourself. Prioritize your needs and feelings. Spending just 15 minutes alone without distractions can reduce stress and clear your mind.

How do you de-stress this time of year? Please send me any tips or tricks at mcampanelli@napco.com. I’d love to share them with our readers!

Job Postings

As you may have noticed, we’ve been posting quite a few job opportunities in the Inner Circle recently. Why? Because our readers and Women in Retail Leadership Circle members understand that posting job opportunities in our weekly e-newsletter offers them access to a group of  highly engaged and exceptionally talented leaders in the retail space. We’d like to keep up the momentum! If you have an open position at your company, feel free to send the job description along with contact information to me at mcampanelli@napco.com, and we’ll post it here and on our members-only forum.

New Members

A special shout-out and warm welcome to our new members from this fall:

  • Gwen Bennett, Senior Vice President, E-Commerce and Marketing, Destination Maternity
  • Jen Mullin, Vice President, Digital Lab, VF Corporation
  • Paula Floyd, Chief Commercial Officer, EVER Skincare
  • Agathe Boidin, President and CEO, Orchestra-Prémaman USA
  • Leslie Leifer, Vice President, Strategy Development and New Business Incubation, 1-800-Flowers.com
  • Amy Larson, Vice President, Marketing and E-Commerce, Beyond Proper
  • Tracy Swan, Director of Visual Production, Macy’s
  • Marion Chauveau, Regional Director, Marketing and Sales, Orchestra-Prémaman USA
  • Susan Wozniak, Business Strategy Analyst, Project Manager, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.
  • Lauren Goldberg, Founder, Consultant, LSG Marketing Solutions
  • Robin Stevens, IT Director

If you join the “Circle,” you’ll have the opportunity to connect with these fabulous women! Why not join the Women in Retail Leadership Circle today? You can apply here. (Think of it as an early Christmas present to yourself!)

Enjoy!

Melissa Campanelli
Co-Founder
Women in Retail Leadership Circle