It’s that time of year again – The holiday season! And while many people look forward to celebrating with family and friends, for others it can be a time of intense stress, feeling overwhelmed or finding it difficult to cope. Just know that you’re not alone, and it’s perfectly ok to experience or feel different types of emotions during the hectic holiday season. In this blog, you’ll explore stress coping tips, topics related to health, and self-care information. So whether you’re enjoying festive time of year or just looking for simple tips to manage the frenzied holiday season, you’ll have some tools to help you feel relaxed and happy!
Useful tips on how to avoid holiday stress and enjoy the season
- Take control by having a plan in place – Write down some of the things you enjoy doing and set aside some special time to enjoy your activities.
- Be proactive – Prioritize your to-do list of what needs to be done, who needs to be contacted etc… Plan ahead to avoid overspending and stress.
- Arrange manageable tasks – Decide on days for gift shopping, cooking, wrapping, and other activities. Don’t overload yourself by taking on too many festivities in one go. Break things up over several days or weeks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Don’t expect too much from yourself or from the holiday season as a whole; it’s better to go with the flow instead.
- Ask for help or delegate if possible – If there are things that need doing but aren’t within your comfort zone, or if you don’t have enough time to do it all, it’s ok to ask for help. Please let someone else take on the responsibility for now so that you can focus on your priorities during the busy season.
- Try to avoid stressful triggers – Set healthy boundaries to not read or watch stressful news, stay away from stressful environments or negative events, avoid unhealthy social media habits.
- Declutter – Get rid of any unnecessary items so you have more room to enjoy the season.
- Have a solid support system in place – Contact family members, friends, or co-workers. Find local business clubs or local activity groups, outreach groups or faith based community groups . They’ll help reduce some of the stress associated with family members that may not be nearby during the holidays, and might even provide some much-needed comic relief! Talk to a friend or someone in your support group about what you’re experiencing or how you’re feeling. It might sound silly but opening up about how you’re feeling, it’s often one of the best ways to process it and deal with it with it in a positive manner.
- Self-care is vital to managing holiday stress – Make sure you’re well hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary drinks. Next, eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Try to reduce the amount of sugar intake so your body can function properly. Take a warm bath, go for a walk, visit your local bookstore or a library. Grab some delicious holiday food, healthy snacks & drinks to lift your spirits. Please remember to give yourself plenty of rest and relaxation time too. This could mean shutting down electronic devices early, and try to allow yourself 7-8 hours of sleep.
- Free you mind – Let go of any self-doubt or critical thoughts of yourself. Try some slow and deep breathing techniques to help bring fresh oxygen into your mind and body. You can also do some light stretches yoga, or meditation to relax yourself. Remember, your holiday stress is only temporary. Make time for yourself to have fun, and don’t sweat the small stuff. When you are aware that you have the power and tools to manage stress during the holiday season, you’ll feel better mentally and physically.
- Gratitude journaling – Wondering how to make it through the stressful holidays? When you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, writing about the things that you’re grateful for can help to calm and center yourself. Gratitude journaling can help you to focus on all the positive things in your life. Keeping a gratitude journal can also increase the happiness of your holiday season by creating positive memories.
Blog on work stress management
Info for stress management
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/copingwith-stresstips.html