With the holiday season here, there’s a lot of scrambling at work. Schedules need to be revised. Gift shopping may have to get done. Parties will be attended or prepared for. Most important though is that you still have to do your job well.

All of which raises the question: what with all this extra stuff going on, how do you keep from cracking under the strain?

Here are five solid tips to help you ease the stress in difficult times:

Boss’s priorities

Spend a bit of time with your supervisor setting priorities for this busy period. Once you know what absolutely has to get done before the break, you can plan your schedule more manageably.

Party sensibly

Soirees with holiday themes can be great fun. Just don’t overdo it on the eggnog or vino. This way you can show up on time at work the next morning, ready for a fully productive day. Remember that one 12 fluid ounce can of beer is equivalent to a five fluid ounce glass of wine or 1.5 fluid ounce of 80 proof liquor.

Budget gifts

Don’t spend more than you can afford if you’re buying presents. Be thoughtful instead of lavish. Better a smaller gift with a well-chosen card that you add your personal sentiments to, than something expensive but impersonal. Plan ahead on how much you will spend for each person on your list, and keep the total amount within a fixed overall maximum. Staying within budget gives you one less thing to worry about.

Get some exercise

Mornings, evenings, weekends: times of the week to get out for a brisk walk or into the gym. Brisk walking one mile in 15 minutes burns just about the same number of calories as jogging an equal distance in eight and a half minutes. Exercise clears your head and helps keep extra weight from making you feel sluggish during the day.

Leave work at work

When going to gatherings or spending time with loved ones, you shouldn’t have to be weighed down by job commitments. Try turning off your Blackberry for a few hours if you can. You could change your automated reply so that during this lull, it lets people know you’ll get back to them at a later instant. Also, you can book into your calendar blocks of “personal time” during certain evenings of the week.