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Managing Holiday Stress

11/21/2016

 
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It's that time of year again!  Thanksgiving is 3 days away. The holidays are right around the corner. How are you feeling? Are you managing your stress adequately?  Do you feel prepared to handle the dizzying array of demands, like shopping, parties, baking, cleaning, entertaining, company events, and family demands?  Here are some helpful tips to manage your holiday stress.   If you are feeling sad or depressed during this holiday season, please read this blog post.

Holiday Stress-Buster Tips!

Holiday shopping
  • Ask people what they want instead of scouring the earth to find the "perfect" gifts.
  • Shop early, when there is more of a selection.
  • Stick to your gift budget.

Planning family get-togethers
  • Buy prepared foods, instead of cooking everything from scratch.
  • Ask others to bring their favorite dishes.
  • Cook and freeze foods ahead of time.

Scheduling time with family and friends
  • Simplify holiday commitments and traditions. Discuss with your family which traditions are most important to you and to them. It's okay to re-evaluate past traditions.
  • Allow time for yourself. Remember to do things that you enjoy.
  • Avoid time crunches by making plans to visit some friends and family soon after the holidays.
  • Don't over-schedule yourself. Allow enough time to relax and recover after visiting with others.
  • Tell family members about your commitments so you are not struggling against their expectations.
  • Travel after rush hour. When driving long distances, give yourself time to stop and rest.

Pausing before the holiday spread
  • Avoid eating and drinking too much, especially alcoholic beverages.
  • Avoid starving yourself in anticipation of eating at holiday parties. This approach can lead to eating too much of the wrong foods and more stress.
  • Continue to exercise and watch your diet.

Managing your time
  • Set priorities and let go of impossible goals.
  • Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
  • Don't spend all of your time planning activities for your family. You might end up feeling drained and unappreciated.
  • Take the time you need to finish tasks that are important to you. Don't try to complete everything at once.
  • Ask others, including the kids, to help you complete chores.
  • Rest when your body tells you to.

    Miranda J. Gabriel, Psy.D.

    A licensed clinical psychologist providing psychotherapy to children, teens, and adults in the San Francisco Bay Area.


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