Oh the holidays. That glorious time of year when everything seems so magical and bright. From the twinkling lights to the oh so decadent sweets, how could something like the Christmas season bring a person anything but happiness and peace, right?
Because along with the delightful whirlwind of fun and frivolity surrounding the holiday season there are also a lot of things that could in fact lead to stress. Such as? Oh I don’t know: shopping, crowds, cooking, baking, wrapping gifts, decorating, spending lots and lots of money, being surrounded by family members that you don’t really get along with. The list of potentially stress inducing things is in fact, twice as long as Santa’s naughty or nice list!
So we’ve established that the lead up to Christmas can be a very stressful time for all of us but, there are ways to lighten your mental and physical burden this holiday season. Here are some helpful ways to cope with your holiday stress this year.
- Walk It Out-When you are feeling overwhelmed by everything that you have to accomplish before December 25th, take time out to go for a walk. Taking a brisk walk can both decrease anxiety and help you sleep better at night!
- Learn to Say No-While the list of holiday activities can be numerous and it may be tempting to want to engage in everything that is asked of you, try saying no to at least one thing. I mean, do you have to be in charge of the holiday bake sale again this year or could you just relax a bit and have fun by only baking and than donating your grandmother’s famous holiday fudge?
- Everything does not have to be perfect-Try to keep a level head and remember that it is not possible to achieve perfection when it comes to Christmas. Holidays don’t mean that everyday family issues are going to magically disappear or that the rolls won’t get a little burnt! The best thing that you can do is to remain calm and just try to look on the bright side. Because isn’t that what Christmas is really all about?
- Give to Charity-The holiday season is the perfect time of year to give back to those in need and there are so many wonderful charities that could use our help though donations or volunteering. Giving a little time or money to someone in need is great way to take a step back from the all of the chaos and refocus your priorities.
- Take breaks-In the midst of all of the shopping and running around this Christmas, remember that it is important to take both physical and mental breaks. Because stacking too much onto your to do list without making a little time for yourself through rest and relaxation is almost guaranteed to lead to a hysterical crying fit while eating the entire tray of freshly baked Christmas cookies that were meant for tomorrow’s office party!
- Don’t Break the Bank-It is always important to keep a budget in mind during the holidays and to stick to it. Spending money that you don’t have and putting yourself into debt is no way to spend Christmas!
- Get Organized and Delegate tasks-I am a firm believe in lists. Write down what needs to get done and check off items as you get them accomplished. And don’t be afraid to delegate! Handing over responsibility for certain tasks is a great way to lessen your stress levels throughout the holiday season.
