Winter has officially started and the holiday season has arrived in full force! Ideally, this festive time is worry-free and full of lively celebration – but for most of us, that’s a completely unrealistic expectation. We often find ourselves “stressing out” and feeling frustrated during the holidays. Personally, walking in Wal-Mart during this time of year is enough to send my blood pressure sky high!A 2006 survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) stated that 61% of people reported an increase in stress during the holiday season. More recent surveys by the APA found that women tend to take on a greater burden of stress than men do – with 46% of women citing higher-than-normal stress during the holidays (as opposed to 31% of men). Even worse, 41% of those women turn to food for comfort … while 28% turn to alcohol to escape the edgy rigors of stress. There are better ways to conquer the mentally strenuous menace of stress!
- SLOW DOWN. If the pressures of party-planning become too much, drop everything and go spend some time all by your lonesome. It might take 15 minutes out of your busy day, but that 15 minutes of relaxing me-time can be enough to help you re-focus on the task at hand and make you work smarter, not harder.
- Exercise. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the looming holidays, take 30 minutes and go for a nice walk or an easy jog. Serotonin and dopamine – the chemicals that cause the “runner’s high” – will quickly become your best friends!
- Eat healthy. Put down the cheesecake and the candy-cane-stirred mug of cocoa – reach instead for some healthy alternatives like cinnamon-sprinkled apples, pumpkin seeds, and soothing hot peppermint tea. Refined carbs and sugars may give you a short boost of energy, but the resultant crash will leave you feeling worse than before!
- Stick to a budget. It may be tempting to spend a little extra on all your gifts, and perhaps even purchase a little something for yourself. You can’t buy happiness, especially if you don’t have the money – and if you think you’re stressed now, spending more than you have can compound your frustrations right through the New Year.
- Manage expectations – simplify if necessary. This goes hand-in-hand with sticking to a budget. We all place massive expectations on ourselves to make the holidays as memorable and magical as possible … but ease off of the pressure! Turn potential missteps into opportunities, and view all mishaps as fun new traditions to uphold. Often the most memorable, endearing parts of past holidays are the things that didn’t necessarily go as planned.
- Kill stress with kindness. One of the most effective ways to vanquish holiday tension is also the most simple: be nice! Various studies from the Journal of Happiness Studies have shown that being kind to others can lead to an immediate increase in personal happiness. Something as simple as saying “I love you” or “thank you” to our friends and loved ones can foster compassion, gratitude, and immediate happiness for everyone involved. Those recipients then feel more inclined to pay it forward and spread the love! It’s the classic positive-feedback loop … make sure nobody feels left out!
Most important of all, take a step back from the holiday planning and potential chaos of hosting distant relatives. Despite what some retail super-stores may say, the holidays aren’t about having a perfect Christmas tree or giving away the most expensive gifts. This season is all about spending time with your loved ones and cherishing everything that you have. Spend the holidays cherishing those you love, and watch as the stress melts away.
