Let’s face it. The holidays can be super stressful. We have so much to do! Not only do we have all of our regular responsibilities, but we now have all the extra stuff associated with holiday prep. While you are busy shopping and planning for your holiday celebrations, making sure your kids are kept busy, and getting the cooking done, it is extremely important that you still take time for yourself. By finding time to yourself that doesn’t involve anything to do with holiday preparations, you will relieve some of that holiday stress that is overwhelming you. Here are some simple ways to reduce your holiday stress.
Take Time Every Day to Do Something On Your Own
Taking time for yourself doesn’t mean you completely isolate yourself. All you really need to do is have a little bit of time each day where you can push the holiday craziness aside. This can be as simple as taking a bubble bath each evening, having a glass of wine on your patio when the kids are asleep, or enjoying a nice walk through your neighborhood or on your lunch break from work. These moments are precious, but they won’t come automatically. Sometimes you need to block off time on your schedule for them.
Find Non-Holiday Things You Can Do
Another way to take more time for yourself is to find things you can do that have nothing to do with the holidays. This can be hard when you feel like every errand you run has to do with party planning, Christmas shopping, or food shopping for the upcoming festivities. However, see if there is an event or activity you can attend on your own that isn’t holiday-related, or spend an evening with a girlfriend at happy hour and promise not to talk about Thanksgiving or Christmas even once.
Get Help With Some of Your Regular Responsibilities
In some cases, there is just too much to do during this time of year to find time for yourself. This is when you need to create it by delegating some of your tasks. If the reason you don’t have time is because you are planning the Thanksgiving dinner all on your own, then you need to start getting some help. Have some other people to help get your home ready, buy decorations, go shopping for the food, or bring a few dishes so you aren’t cooking everything yourself.
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Get a Babysitter for a Night
If you have kids at home that are too young to be home alone, then getting a sitter so you can go out and do something by yourself is sometimes needed. Whether this is going to get a manicure or massage on your own, or spending a kid-free night with your significant other, it is important to have this quality time.
Get more ideas for dealing with holiday stress here:
Home for the Holidays: Tips for Stress - WebMD
To reduce holiday stress, you have to pace yourself. Long before the family gatherings actually happen, decide on some limits and stick to them. Stay one or two nights at your parents’ house instead of three or four. Plan to drop by the holiday party for a couple of hours instead of staying all night.
25 Ways to Fight Holiday Stress - Health
Holiday stress-busting tips The shopping and crowds. The back-to-back diet-busting parties. The interminable chats with the in-laws. We understand how easy it is to feel not so wonderful at this most wonderful time of the year.
Holiday Stress: Causes, Management, and More - Healthline
Tips for Managing Holiday Stress There are many simple ways to deal with holiday stress, but first you need to understand your stress triggers. Do certain situations cause you to feel stressed? When you feel stressed, pause and think about what’s causing it. The activity you’re doing at the time may not be the cause of your stress. Once you understand what triggers your stress, use these six simple tips to de-stress.
Holiday Depression, Anxiety, and Stress - MedicineNet
Fortunately, holiday depression and stress can be well-managed by implementing the tips listed above as well as by seeking out social support. Counseling and support groups can be of benefit if the symptoms are too much to bear alone. Seasonal affective disorder generally responds well to bright light therapy (phototherapy). For some, medications may effectively relieve symptoms.
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