As the pace picks up in the run up to Christmas and you're frantically making lists, running round, sorting people out, taking care of family just stop a minute.

It is NOT all about the kids, the family, your boss, the neighbours... It's about you too and you are as entitled to a bit of pampering and ‘me time’ as anyone else.  If you want to avoid turning up at the works Christmas party looking like you've just come out of I'm a Celebrity, and want to spend Christmas Day wrapped in the bosom of your family, not in the straps of a straight jacket, then now is the time to do something about it.

Take a little look in the mirror.  Several months ago that straw-like mass atop your furrowed brow was actually a hair style.  Help is at hand in the shape of Jam Hair in Sanderstead, Croydon, a ladies and gents walk in salon offering up to date styles and techniques and exceptional customer service.  Specialising in advanced Brazilian straightening in addition to top class styling and colouring, and offering opening hours to 7pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Jam Hair prides itself on ensuring every customer leaves the salon feeling like a million dollars.

Now, about that furrowed brow.  Before you resort to Botox, there are more pleasant, less invasive ways of dealing with the visible, and indeed invisible, signs of stress. 

The Selsdon Wellbeing Centre in Croydon offers a wide range of complementary therapies including Shiatsu massages, Aqua detox and Hopi Ear Candling.  Whether you’re suffering from physical aches and strains, or coping with stress or depression, the Centre's range of holistic therapies is sure to find the right solution for you.

Alternatively, if you need boost to your confidence and positive attitude, then Vanessa Buck's hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis sessions focus on problems of confidence and self-image.  Hypnosis can work on changing both physical and mental habits that prevent us reaching our full potential.  Vanessa also offers life coaching and a range of complementary therapies.

Yoga has long been accepted as an effective stress reliever as well as being a powerful workout concentrating on strength and flexibility and instilling a sense of peace and wellbeing.  Breeze Urban Yoga Company offers a full range of yoga classes and specialist treatments, including Hot Yoga - performed in a studio heated to 42 degrees to improve flexibility and tone providing a detoxifying, cardiovascular workout that can burn up to 1000 calories per session!  They also offer a full range of pampering beauty treatments.

Mums-to-be and new mums can get together at Injoy, a yoga centre specialising in ante-natal yoga classes.  Following on from ante-natal are mother and baby and toddler sessions designed to promote good health and wellbeing in both parent and child.  Sounds like an excellent way to calm the little ones down as anticipation of December 25th mounts!

And one I definitely like the sound of – with the ethos of ‘Maximum exercise for your body, with minimum effort from you’, Hardika’s Healing Hands is a Thai massage and yoga service based in Croydon.  Offering all the benefits of massage and yoga therapy, Hardika also carries out demonstrations at corporate events, conferences and seminars.  Stressed out business-people of the world unite!

So now you've found inner calm and you've sorted out your barnet, all that remains is the final beautification.  Take yourself along to Charlotte of London; located in Purley near Croydon and offering a 'one stop shop' for all your beauty treatment needs, including facials, hair removal, spray tanning and nails Charlotte of London offers you the very latest in state-of-the-art treatments.  Give yourself an afternoon off and allow yourself to be pampered top to toe.

Making the most of the local services available won't just benefit you.  All those around you will benefit from the calmer, more serene (and totally hot!) new you - what more justification do you need!

More details of all the businesses mentioned can be found in thebestof Croydon’s Business Directory.