‘Tis the season – for your social calendar to get completely crazy. Holiday stress is no joke. But it doesn’t have to take over your life! There are some actionable, relatively easy steps you can take to minimize stressors and actually enjoy this time of year with your loved ones. Here are five of our best tips and tricks for dealing with holiday stress.
Be honest.
It can be tempting to just push through to 2019. After all, this is a beloved time of year with friends and family and you wouldn’t want to ruin it, right? Actually, the people who love you would much rather you be honest than burn yourself out trying to survive the season.
Get in the habit of articulating how you’re feeling. Your friends will appreciate you saying, “I’m completely exhausted from the kids’ school holiday event so I won’t make your happy hour tomorrow” rather than showing up completely spent or flaking at the absolute last minute. We’re all in this together, and your honesty just might help someone else create the space they need to enjoy the season, too.
… But not too honest.
Although it can be tempting to speak up when relatives or friends are discussing something about which you’re passionate, think before jumping in. You might have a very different political opinion than your Uncle Pete, but voicing it may not be worth it. If you think you can establish a thoughtful dialogue in which everyone’s voices are heard, feel free. If, however, you know that you’re just opening up a can of worms that has a high likelihood of devolving into a shouting match or hurt feelings, practice self-care by holding your tongue.
Be flexible.
Holiday traditions are great – but not at the expense of your health or happiness. Give yourself permission to adapt – or even completely skip – anything that’s not serving you this year. Most people can’t tell the difference between homemade rolls and storebought, anyway! If you’re feeling stressed out, give yourself permission to take shortcuts where you can.
Be protective.
If there was ever a time of year to get serious about your self-care, this is it. Start by blocking off days in your calendar with no plans. For example, if you know you have three holiday parties in one weekend, you might want to block of the early days of next week to rest and recover from that social holiday stress.
Be similarly protective of your loved ones. If you know your kids have a hard time with certain cousins, limit their exposure and make sure you can be present at the events where everyone will be together. If you know your partner dreads his or her company holiday party, think through ways you can be a help before and during the event. Everyone could use a little extra support this time of year, ourselves included! Putting some thought into it before the madness kicks in after Thanksgiving can help you maintain a better balance through the end of 2018.
Be organized.
The holidays become hectic because we fit so much into such a small window. Do everything you can to knock things out now. That might mean getting a few weeks of dinners prepped and frozen so keeping everyone fed isn’t a nightmare. It might mean doing your holiday shopping well before Black Friday. It could mean joining a gym or yoga studio so you’re more motivated to carve out time for yourself.
Stock your pantry with healthy grab-and-go items. Get an early jump on decorating and shopping. Start keeping an organized calendar so you don’t overbook. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself sane this holiday season.
The holidays can be a particularly stressful, challenging, and even depressing time if you’re dealing with major family strife or grieving the loss of a loved one. While these tips are designed to help everyone combat holiday stress and enjoy this time of year, they might not be enough. That’s where our dedicated team at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center can come in. We offer individual therapy, family counseling, group sessions, and more. Call or email us for more info. We’d love to talk about it!
