7 Ways to Ditch the Holiday Stress
Here they come again — office parties, family dinners, gifts to buy and holiday crowds — it doesn’t take long before stress starts to take its toll. From traveling to entertaining or just trying to keep up with the holiday rush, we have some survival tips.
Holiday stress doesn’t have to be a looming disaster waiting to happen. Conquer the beast by getting enough sunlight, planning ahead, pacing yourself and staying on budget. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, and remind yourself that it doesn’t all have to be perfect. And we should all remember to practice self-care so we can be at our best when it really counts. Here are some tips to help keep things in check.
Get Enough Sunlight
The darker winter days can leave some people feeling down. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression triggered by a lack of sunlight. Studies have shown depression, combined with reduced sunlight exposure, may also affect a person’s ability to stay organized and on top of the events to come. Keep those holiday spirits bright by getting as much sunshine as possible. If you can’t get enough sunlight, a vitamin D supplement or supplemental light might help.
Plan Ahead
Not much is as overwhelming as realizing you have two days to figure out two weeks’ worth of planning. Don’t do that to yourself. Get started well in advance by making shopping lists and outlining action plans. Will you be doing any cooking or baking this year? What can you prep ahead of time? Know what you need to get done long before it’s time to get started and set reminders so potlucks and parties don’t creep up on you before you’re ready for them.
Pace Yourself
Similarly, make sure you’re not tackling too much at any given time. You may feel tempted to try to do hours upon hours of marathon shopping or to bake a cake, six dozen cookies and a pumpkin pie all in one day, and you may even say that it's to save time. Don’t break yourself in an effort to do everything. Slow down and spare yourself the unnecessary stress. Choose what you really really want to do and skip the rest or let someone else take the lead on those things.
Stay on Budget
Debt is stressful, so stick to a budget to keep your finances and your blood pressure in check. To budget yourself effectively, U.S. News recommends that we start by itemizing our current earnings and expenses, figuring out where we can cut back or go without, and then planning our spending from there. Remember, the holidays are all about togetherness and fun, so don’t let the pressure to buy everyone the perfect, expensive, gift turn it into a stressful nightmare instead.
Ask for Help
Have you worked to keep that to-do list reasonable and on-budget but still find yourself needing to do three things at once to keep up? It’s okay to ask for help. Turn dinner into a potluck if you feel overwhelmed with cooking too much. Ask family and close friends for help picking up loose ends or planning for visitors. You don’t have to do it all yourself.
Keep It Real
Things never turn out exactly as planned, so don’t go crazy trying to get every detail perfect. The holidays will come and they will go, and life will proceed whether or not you burned the mashed potatoes, got to the office party a half-hour late or the kids’ holiday theatre costumes were only remotely recognizable. Keep it fun, and keep it real; don’t let worry ruin the good times.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care is all about doing what you need to keep yourself mentally and physically at your best. This means getting enough sleep, fueling your body with healthy foods and exercise, and taking steps to relax or decompress when you need it. Take care of yourself so you can be at your best amid all that stressful holiday fun.
If we are mindful of the effects on our wellbeing and our ability to have fun, we can conquer holiday stress most easily by heading it off before it gets bad. All it takes is a little planning and some self-care. And if things don’t go as planned, shift gears and make the most of it and roll with the missteps rather than stressing over them. This last thing may be key so let us say it again: Learn to let the worst parts roll off and keep smiling anyway. The holidays are the perfect opportunity to create happy memories, so heat up some cocoa, get the chimney crackling and have some fun — and don't let the worst parts get in the way.
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