Helpful Tips to Cope with Holiday Stress

The holidays are a time for happiness, cheer, and family, abundant with activities, social gatherings, and merriment. However, ensuring that the food is ready, the house is clean, and all the presents are wrapped can be overwhelming for many. These factors can bring unwanted depression, loneliness, and burnout – at a time specifically celebrated and meant for rejoicing.

If you are feeling blue this season, you are not alone. Many people feel “holiday burnout,” the overwhelming feeling brought about by the pressure from one’s own expectations or from others that are associated with the holiday season. Holiday burnout can also be influenced by the adjustments in your schedule at this time of the year, overwhelm and stress throughout the year, and other previous mental health concerns. Holiday burnout may look like fatigue from the tasks associated with spending time with family and tasks associated with the preparation, volunteering, or giving that the season entails.

Coping with holiday stress or holiday burnout

Below are some practical, important tips that can help manage your emotions and stress this season.

Acknowledge your feelings – it’s okay to pause and take some time to express your feelings. Remember, it’s not healthy to force yourself to feel happy just because of the holidays.

Reach out – if you have been feeling isolated and lonely lately, seek out support. Lean on family, friends, and other community or religious groups.

Set aside differences – family or interpersonal conflicts will only add to the stress. Try to accept family and friends s they are.

Be realistic – the celebrations don’t have to be perfect. Family traditions and rituals typically change and grow. Try to be flexible and be open to looking for new ways to celebrate.

Plan ahead – map out definite days for all your holiday activities like baking and shopping. Look for ways to create efficiencies – save time by doing your shopping online, make specific shopping lists, create a menu to help you stay organized, or divide responsibilities among your family members.

Create a budget – remember, happiness cannot be bought. Today, decide how much you can afford to spend, then make it a point to stick to your budget. Going into debt over the holidays will create more stress in the months to come.

Learn to say no – it’s okay to say ‘no’ to a few holiday commitments, as this will help alleviate some of your stress. If saying ‘yes’ will leave you feeling overwhelmed and resentful, learn how to – and give yourself permission to – say ‘no.’

Take a break – Create a relaxing surrounding, and bask in it. Find calm and regain your focus. Depending on your mood, open the windows or light some candles. Turn on some music. Try spending a few minutes alone, devoid of distractions, slowing your breathing, clearing your mind, and restoring your inner peace. Studies show that the scent of citrus and listening to music can enhance feelings of well-being. Also, vitamin D can help boost feelings of happiness.

Make time for your health – the holiday season can be notorious for destroying bad habits. Do not let the season be an excuse for you to neglect yourself. Always eat well, and make time for sleep, exercise, and activities that contribute to your emotional, physical, and mental health.

If you are still feeling persistently sad despite your best efforts, it’s best to seek professional help. The holidays are meant to be a happy, enjoyable time for you and your family. These tips to cope with holiday burnout can help make sure that you really enjoy the season when stress starts to kick in.

Sources:

“Coping with Holiday Stress,” Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, https://www.camh.ca/
“7 ways to cope with holiday stress,” UTSouthwestern Medical Center, https://utswmed.org/
“6 Simple Practices to Handle Holiday Stress,” Greater Good Magazine, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/