The holiday season is often imagined as a time of joy, but for many (myself included) it can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. It’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in a sea of to-dos. But what if you could escape the chaos and reclaim your peace of mind?—
In this post, we’ll cover:
- Understanding Holiday Stress
- Strategies to Manage Stress
- Setting Healthy Boundaries
- Focusing on What Matters
Don’t let stress steal your holiday spirit—take a deep breath and read on for tips that will leave you feeling more calm and centered this season!
Understanding Holiday Stress
It’s important to acknowledge what causes holiday stress. Common triggers consist of things like family expectations, time management, financial pressure, and many other obligations that arise during holiday peak. Once you know what’s causing the stress, it’s much easier to find your solution.
Strategies to help manage holiday stress:
- Mindfulness & Meditation
I’ve mentioned this over and over, but mindfulness + meditation is vital to staying grounded during stressful times. Deep breathing or guided meditations specifically for holiday stress could be the solution you’re looking for so give it a try!
This acupressure mat and pillow set can assist you during meditation sessions by relaxing muscles and relieving pain. It’s a great addition and can make all the difference in helping you relax
- Self Care
It’s easy to leave things out or shorten your usual routines when you mind is clouded with holiday responsibilities. It’s essential to not only continue practicing self care, but emphasize your routines. Things like working out, maintaining healthy eating, and having a daily self care routine can significantly help you decrease stress.
- Time Management
Not everything needs to be done all at once. To much pressure is definitely a culprit for holiday stress. Make sure you plan ahead and avoid procrastination. I tend to write out my tasks and breaking them down into smaller chunks in result— being more manageable.
A good quality planner can make time management 100x easier! You can sort out your thoughts visually to ensure you stay on schedule.
- Avoid Over-Commitment & Focus on What’s Important
Setting realistic expectations and not over committing yourself this season will save you down the road. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on what truly matters. Although it’s easy to lose sight of, it’s not about the gifts or even the food, remind yourself this season is about spending quality time with loved ones, & taking care of your personal wellbeing. If you have a busy schedule, don’t be afraid to say no! Overcommitting is a lead cause of stress during holiday season.
Add some holiday themed or fun games to keep off your phones and truly enjoy the presence of your loved ones
- Set Boundaries
Whether it be declining certain holiday invitations or limiting your time in stressful places, don’t be afraid to set boundaries. You can communicate your needs to other effectively and respectfully to avoid adding any unneeded stress. Social media boundaries may also be necessary, such as limiting time on apps that may promote unrealistic ideas of gift giving or what a holiday “should” look like, leading to— you guessed it, more stress.
- Financial Stress Solutions
I often try to set a realistic holiday budget and stick to it. Sometimes, more expensive gifts throw off that budget leading to stress. Alternatively to expensive gifts, you could go for DIY gifts, and/or set price expectations or limits. Try to avoid last minute shopping and take advantage of deals early. Setting aside a holiday fund throughout the year can also help relieve financial stress.
- Seeking Professional Help
I’ve expressed my own personal tips & tricks to conquering this holiday season, but in some cases it isn’t enough & that’s okay! Seeking professional help through therapy or counseling is not something you should be ashamed of. Seasonal sessions or group therapy sessions can make the holidays that much easier. I personally enjoy the freedom of being about to do it from my own home and adjust sessions to my schedule.
No holiday season will be perfect, and remember it’s okay to have ups and downs. Focus on what brings YOU joy and fulfillment, rather than external expectations. Happy Holidays!
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