The holiday season, regardless of what you celebrate, should be a time for joy, but it can also bring stress from tight schedules with work and all the extras that we want to get done, financial pressures, and high expectations. This is not a time that we typically focus on stress management, but we absolutely should! Taking time to manage stress and look after your mental well-being, means you can better navigate the holidays with ease and truly enjoy the season. So how to manage stress over the holidays?
- Plan and Prioritize
Create a holiday to-do list and rank tasks by importance. Simplify your commitments by saying “no” to activities that overwhelm you. It’s OK to say no, you cannot please everyone all of the time, you know this. Use a planner or calendar app to schedule downtime for relaxation amidst the festive chaos.
- Set a Budget – this is non-negotiable!
Holiday expenses can be a major stressor and will kick butts long after the holiday is done. Set a realistic budget for gifts, food, decorations, and events. Stick to the budgeted total by shopping early and exploring creative, cost-effective gift ideas, like homemade presents. Here is a sample holiday budget sheet that you can use or adapt to fit your needs:
| Category | Budgeted Amount | Actual Spend | Difference |
| Gifts | |||
| Home Decorations | |||
| Holiday Meals | |||
| Travel | |||
| Entertainment | |||
| Miscellaneous | |||
| Total |
- Practice Mindfulness
Have you ever considered activities like meditation, exercise, or deep breathing to manage holiday stress? This might be something that works for you. Even taking five minutes to focus on deep breathing in stressful situations can calm your mind and reduce anxiety. Check out these extra mental health tips for the holidays.
- Maintain Healthy Habits
The holiday season is filled with indulgences, and it’s hard to stick to a good, healthy diet. How about trying to get more exercise, going for a walk after dinner if the weather is not too cold or maybe you’re the type who likes going for a walk in the cold! My go-to is YouTube exercise videos for when I absolutely cannot get outdoors for a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood.
- Reconnect with Loved Ones
Quality time with family and friends boosts mental well-being. Realistically though, not everyone has family or even close friends to reconnect with, so how to obtain and maintain social connections that we know are extremely important to fight loneliness, especially during the holiday season? What about looking online for volunteering opportunities? Foodbanks to help those with food insecurity and animal shelters are just two examples. There are so many ways to help the community and connect with others while helping. If you have a family, create meaningful moments, such as baking together or sharing favorite holiday traditions, to strengthen bonds and relieve stress.
- Embrace Imperfection
Let go of unrealistic expectations for a “perfect” holiday, I know, it’s hard, but it can be done! Focus on the moments that bring joy and gratitude rather than striving for perfection in every detail.
Feel free and permit yourself to transform holiday stress into a season filled with peace and joy!
Be well,
Juliet
