6 Tips For Managing Holiday Stress
/The holiday season is a wonderful time to spend with family and friends. It can also be a stressful time given the busyness of parents’ and kids’ schedules, cooking, parties, and buying gifts. During this time of year, there can be so much pressure that unfortunately the joy and meaning of the season are often replaced by stress. Some practical tips can help minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. These tips may even help you be more mindful and truly enjoy the holiday season.
Pay Attention to Your Mental Health
Do a quick check-in a few times a day to identify, express, and rate your emotions from 1 to 10. Talk to a trusted family member or friend to help you process and let go of your feelings. Write in a journal for 10-15 minutes a day about what you feel and what the feeling is trying to tell you. Practice self-compassion like being kind to yourself or talking to yourself as if you were talking to a dear friend.
How to Better Navigate Your Time
Take time to talk with your family and schedule the multiple holiday events you have on your calendar. Share the calendar with your family so everyone is aware and can plan accordingly. Give yourself permission to potentially say no to an event so you can have some time to relax and decompress. Be realistic with your time and consider adding some extra time for the unexpected.
How to Be Mindful with Spending Money
Create a holiday budget so that you can pay attention to how much money you are spending. Shop early and look for good sales. Be sure to stick to your shopping list. Consider setting boundaries with your loved ones about gift-giving. Remind yourself that the budget will help reduce your anxiety about spending too much money.
Create Time for Rest and Relaxation
During the busyness of the holidays make sure to create some relaxing moments. Listen to calming music while drinking a cup of tea or hot cocoa. Create various mindful moments during the day to practice deep breathing exercises. Remind yourself that rest is essential to your well-being. Give yourself permission to focus on relaxing before you go to bed.
Make Time to Exercise
Remind yourself that exercise is a wonderful way to release stress. Set a certain time of the day to exercise and make sure to stretch before and after. Pay attention to where you hold your stress in your body and try and focus on releasing the stress while you exercise. Be flexible with your concept of exercise and try different types of exercise.
Engage in Gratitude
Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions. Research shows gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. One way to practice gratitude could be to say thank you to someone. Before you go to bed write down three things you’re grateful for. Practicing gratitude can help you be more resilient and deal with adversity better.
Please make time to practice taking better care of yourself during the busyness of the holidays. Be sure to set realistic expectations for yourself and don’t be afraid to say no. Pay attention to how you feel and be proactive in managing your stress. Wishing you a joyful holiday season!
For more information about stress management, please call me at 858-243-2684.
