The most wonderful time of the year is not always so wonderful!
The holiday season can be the best time of the year. Spending time with family, time away from work, and good food is the recipe for a wonderful holiday. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for many of us. The holiday season also tends to bring on extra stressors. Financial stress, extra work load, and not being able to see family can be incredibly challenging. While we can’t take the stress away, we’ve compiled a list of tips to manage your holiday stress.
Take time to check in with yourself
We live in a very fast paced world and life seems to move at warp speed. Making time for yourself to access your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing is key to managing stress. Be aware of the physical symptoms of stress so you can address it early. Look out for lack of energy, headaches, worrying more than usual, and irritability. When you notice these symptoms, use this time to reflect on your biggest stressors.
Holiday Vacation
If you find yourself with some extra time off this holiday season, consider treating yourself to a getaway. This doesn’t have to be an extravagant trip. It could be as simple as a weekend at a good friend’s house. Just something to get you away from your current life and all its stressors! If applicable, you could even turn it into a family getaway to get that much needed family bonding time.
Know You’re Not Alone
The holiday season is a hard time for many. It can be hard when seemingly everyone else is having a great time and you are not. If necessary, consider opening up to a counselor, trusted friend, or family member. Help is always available if the holiday stress ever becomes too much. Consider looking for local organizations that help those who struggle during the holidays.
Understand That This Time Will Pass
For all the great things the holiday season brings, it certainly isn’t always great. Soon we will be back to normal life. Work will return to normal, spring weather will move in, and the holiday season will be a distant memory. Understanding that this seasonal stress is only temporary is crucial to pushing through the holidays.
However you choose to spend your holiday season, we hope you are safe, happy, and stress free. Happy Holidays!
