Holiday Life Hacks
It’s hard to believe we’re staring down the New Year already. Things seem to be moving faster than ever and December is no exception. We’ve all been there – promising ourselves we’ll start shopping earlier or get holiday cards out in November – anything to ease the stress of a notoriously busy season. And like clockwork, the New Year is upon us and we’re left scratching our heads. How did we get here?
A recent survey revealed that parents in particular feel the constant pressure of a go-go-go lifestyle. The result? An overwhelming majority of Canadian parents (94%) find themselves making personal sacrifices to manage all of life’s demanding priorities. The survey, commissioned by Mastercard, also revealed that 67% of parents are seeking out helpful life hacks and tips and tricks to help them juggle everything.
Now more than ever, Canadians have a number of “life hacks” at our disposal. Google answers our questions on-demand, YouTube shows us how to cook, and a number of digital solutions are making financial transactions a breeze without having to leave the comfort of home. Standing in check-out lines is a thing of the past. We should free up time doing the things we love and spending time with the people we care about.
Looking to adopt some new life hacks this December? We’ve compiled a helpful list to get you through this holiday season so you feel refreshed and renewed in 2017:
- Meal time: Never underestimate the power of a slow cooker, the ultimate kitchen helper. There’s nothing easier (or more delicious) than throwing your favourite ingredients together in the morning, and coming home to finished product. No muss, no fuss.
- Digital solutions: Technology increasingly makes our lives easier, so what better life hack during the holidays than something to help bypass online check-out forms? Solutions like Masterpass—a digital wallet—allow you to store your credit, debit and pre-paid cards in one place so you can avoid filling out annoying forms.
- Gift giving: Spinning your wheels on what to get the person who has everything? One simple solution is making a donation in someone’s name (which can also be done without leaving the couch). This saves time at crowded malls, and spares you the annoying task of gift wrapping.
- Entertaining: As tempting as it may be to throw the ultimate party, guests appreciate simplicity and attention to detail when it comes to the basics. Don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel – good food and great company is often enough. If multiple invitations are keeping you busy, remember, it’s okay to say no and spend a quiet evening in!