Top Ten Tips For Handling Holiday Stress

1. Acknowledge your emotions.
Holidays are a stressful time for everyone. Just about anything can trigger a stress reaction … at  home and on the job. The first thing that you want to do is acknowledge how you feel. It makes no difference whether you “should” or “shouldn’t” feel what ever emotion you are feeling … just  acknowledge it. Yes … I am frustrated. Yes … I am angry. Yes … I feel that this is your fault. Yes … there are only 24 hours in a day, and I am scheduled for 27 … and that doesn’t even include sleeping! Take a deep breath, acknowledge how you feel, release the emotion, and continue on with your day.  Eventually all of this may seem funny!

2. Do a reality check.
Do a reality check. If you won’t have the time … or the money … to do the perfect family Christmas, sit down and make a list of the things that you can do … the ones that are important to you. Accept that some of the ones that are important to you are ones that you yourself created. Go with what brings you joy, and let the rest go.

3. Watch your finances.
Make a list of everything that is going to have to be paid for … presents (including work related presents), decorations, traveling, food … the figure that you get is the figure that you get! Compare that with what you actually have to spend. Set more reasonable spending limits on the items on your list, and you will guarantee yourself less stress!

4. Plan your time.
Plan your time, so that you are not shopping during the heavy shopping hours, so that you have blocks of time for baking, cooking, wrapping presents and decorating. Expect traffic, expect delays, and go into each day with a promise to be patient.

5. No is an acceptable response!
Learn to say no when what you are being asked to do is perhaps not something that you really want to do, or when you know that you will not have the time to do it properly. This stands for home as well as work!

6. Make time for yourself.
Take short time outs so that you can give yourself back some energy. Tune into your body: are your shoulders tight? Does your stomach feel tense? Do you feel a headache coming on? Stand up, move your head, move your arms and shoulders, take a few deep breaths, and walk around a bit. Feel the tension leaving your body. Smile … life is good!
 
7. Nothing is perfect.
The gift for your boss or co-worker does not have to be perfect … it just has to have thought put into it.  The party for the neighbors does not have to be perfect … it just has to reflect who you are, and what brings you your greatest joy. The dinner does not have to be perfect … it just has to be cooked with love! 

8. Eat healthy.
The holidays are a time when we all tend to eat too much, perhaps drink too much, or perhaps not eat at all, because we are racing around doing everything for everybody! Keep fruit and veggies on hand, cook meals ahead when you know you won’t have time to cook, and pay attention to the signals that your body is giving you.

9. Recognize who your support group is.
We should all have at least a small support group in our life … people that we can talk to when it all goes down the tubes. Perhaps this is one person … a co-worker, friend, or family member. They may need someone to listen to them also … and you can end up laughing at life over a cup of coffee!

10. Depression
The holiday season can bring on depression. If you recognize this, and you cannot handle it on your own, seek professional help. See you physician, or a clergyman, or a licensed counselor of some kind. If you don’t want to talk to someone in person, there are 800 numbers where there are people that will listen to you and help you. One of these numbers is the number for Boy’s Town – 1-800-448-3000.

Make this holiday season a positive experience for everyone!