In this informative page, you will find several steps on how to cope with stress during the holidays. The holidays can be quite stressful for many people. Even though you might have several days off from work, other situations come into play that might increase your stress level. If you are throwing a Christmas party, or get together with family and friends, you might feel the pressure of making the perfect Christmas dinner. Not only that, but the pressure to find the right gifts for the right people can be stressful too. The stores are all filled with people shopping and different sales are going on. It can get quite overwhelming and stressful to get everything done and to please everyone. Going to office parties and family reunions are supposed to be fun, but if you don't know how to cope with the stress that comes with the holidays, it might be very hard for you to have a good time.
The holidays are meant to be a happy time with fellowship, friendliness, and harmony. These feelings can quickly change to depression and stress. The financial burden of the holidays might cause mood change and anxiety. Even people who normally don't have any issues with depression, might suddenly struggle with it during the holidays. Feelings of stress can start days before the holidays. Just knowing what is coming might cause you to stress out.
It's best to prepare yourself for this time of the year. The steps below will be a great help to you and provide some information on how to cope with holiday stress.
The holidays are meant to be a happy time with fellowship, friendliness, and harmony. These feelings can quickly change to depression and stress. The financial burden of the holidays might cause mood change and anxiety. Even people who normally don't have any issues with depression, might suddenly struggle with it during the holidays. Feelings of stress can start days before the holidays. Just knowing what is coming might cause you to stress out.
It's best to prepare yourself for this time of the year. The steps below will be a great help to you and provide some information on how to cope with holiday stress.
Step 1: Get The Whole Family Involved
One source of stress can be Christmas dinner. The pressure to cook while making sure there is something everyone will like can really stress you out. It's especially stressful if you are having family and friends over. The fact that the stores are extra crowded during this time of year does not help either. The solution? Get everyone involved. Have each member of the family or your friends be responsible for part of the dinner. Have someone bring appetizers, another person can bring dessert and so on. Delegate. Make it a joint effort instead of a one man/woman show. Don't overbook yourself to the point where it stresses you out and exhausts you.
Step 2: Don't Overindulge
Coping with stress during the holidays can be horrible for your diet and weight. Sometimes, when people are stressed, they tend to over-eat or over-drink. With all the foods during the holidays, temptation is right in front of you. Binging will only make things worse. If you overeat, the weight gain is only going to make you more stressed, depressed and unhappy. Drinking too much isn't good either, because alcohol is said to be a depressant.
Step 3: Greeting Cards
Reducing and coping with stress during the holidays doesn't have to be hard, you just have to know what to do. Or better yet, what not to do. The first thing you can do to lower your stress level is to skip certain things you normally would do. Skip sending out greeting cards. There is no reason to stress about that. If you really feel the urge to send cards, go online and send electronic cards. This eliminates the stress and effort of finding that perfect card for a certain person and getting it in the mail on time. E-cards are instantly sent and you won't have to rush to get to the post office.
Step 4: Budget
The holidays are a time when people spend a lot of money. Presents, food, parties, all cost money and the total costs can add up quickly. If you don't budget, you will end up being more stressed because of all the money you spend. A budget is a must. Plan with your family and set up a budget that is especially for the holidays. When it comes to gifts, have everyone pick a name from a hat and just buy one present for the person they pick. This way everyone will still get a present and your budget will stay intact.
You can also plan low-cost holiday activities with the family. Like watching the Christmas lights on the different houses in the neighborhood or window shopping.
Step 5: Count Your Blessings
A good way to cope with stress is to realize how blessed you really are. Volunteering at groups for underprivileged or hospitalized kids can really make you realize what you have, and that stress is nothing compared to what others are going through. Homeless shelters often have holiday programs where you can help out feeding the homeless. Don't hesitate to participate in community service. Not only will you help others, but you will help yourself at the same time.
