The holidays bring along a lot of fun and cheers but it is also one of, if not the, busiest times of the year. Almost all workers from different industries are susceptible to holiday stress. Assembly lines are working double time in car parts and aerospace PCB manufacturing, and office workers are rushing to meet deadlines before the year ends. So naturally, stress is unavoidable and is somewhat inevitable, especially for those whose jobs are in retail and customer relations.
That doesn’t even include winter weather, rush hour traffic, and the Christmas rush in shops. But fret not. You don’t need to go through the holidays with heavy hearts and long faces. Here are a few ways that you can keep the holiday stress at bay and enjoy this season.
10 Ways to Keep Holiday Stress from Eating You up
1. Learn to let things slide.
This is two-fold. First, don’t stress yourself up over everything that doesn’t go your way. Learn to accept the fact that you cannot control everything and everyone around you. Second, stop taking on everything. If you need to ask for help to get something done, don’t hesitate. While it’s noble of you to want to accomplish everything that needs to be done, you need to take it easy during this time.
2. Don’t push yourself to the limit.
In relation to the point above, Perfection will never be attainable so there’s no point in exhausting yourself in a losing battle. That’s not to say you shouldn’t strive for excellence, though. The point is you should know when to draw the line if only to protect your sanity. Learn how to take it easy, too. There’s a time and a season for everything.
3. Set boundaries and let people know about it.
If you still haven’t set any boundaries for yourself and for those around you, you should get to it. No matter what people say, boundaries are healthy for you. It tells everyone that you have priorities and those priorities take precedence over everything else. But don’t just assume that people know your boundaries. Make sure that you clearly communicate them as well.
4. Shop online.
One, shopping online saves you the hassle of getting caught up in the holiday shopping rush. We all know how terrible it can get sometimes so don’t expose yourself to that type of environment.
Two, the pandemic still looms over our heads so shopping online saves you from unnecessarily exposing yourself to the virus. As far as we’re concerned, that’s already one thing less to stress about.
5. Watch what you eat.
One of the things that we’re all looking forward to during the holiday season is the holiday treats. While occasionally indulging yourself is okay, you need to control yourself from consuming too much as they can have adverse effects on your health.
On the flip side, don’t allow yourself to go hungry just because you have plenty of work to do. That’s also not healthy for you.
6. Get plenty of rest.
One of the biggest culprits of holiday stress is lack of sleep and rest. Understandably, you just won’t seem to run out of things to do during this time of the year, especially if you’re a crammer and procrastinator. This is why you should always get an early start to all your duties and responsibilities at home and work. This way, you get things done and still get a good night’s sleep.
7. Say no to alcohol.
Medically speaking, alcohol consumption adds to one’s holiday stress and anxiety. A bottle or two is fine but overconsumption, especially in all the merrymaking taking place during this time of the year, can cause lapses in judgment. Even if you think you can handle your liquor, the safest route would still be to just stay away from it.
8. Start and end your day on a high note.
It will help lessen your stress and anxiety if you know how to start and end your day right, even if something bad happens within the day. Different people will have different ways of cheering themselves up. Some start their day with some time of reflection and prayer while others like to sweat it out and exercise. Whatever it is that makes your day brighter, do that as you start and end your day.
9. Exercise!
Just because it’s a time for rest and relaxation doesn’t mean that you’re to let yourself go. Exercise releases endorphins that are responsible for boosting your mood. Regular exercise can improve your overall temperament making you less susceptible to stress. Plus, it’s really good for your health so you win however way you look at it.
10. Give.
Perhaps one of the nicest things you can do for yourself this Christmas is to practice generosity. You may think that the recipient is the one who has the advantage here but ironically, in this situation, the giver is the one that benefits more. You may have lost some money in the process but the pay-off — that inexplicable warm fuzzy feeling that you get knowing that you were a channel of blessing — is so worth it.
So when the winter blues and holiday stress show up at your door, you already know how to kick them out. Make the most of the holiday season and don’t stress yourself too much. Pick your battles and fight them wisely. Happy holidays!
