Tips for Managing Emotional Stress During the Holidays
Understanding Holiday Stress
Holiday stress may come from different areas of your life. This is heightened by having to focus more on intensified family time, work-related pressures, and financial burdens due to the cost of the festivities.
What could potentially be the most “wonderful time of the year” could potentially become the most stressful! It is of utmost importance to manage your stress and take care of your overall well-being.
Identifying Your Stress Triggers Over the Holidays
You may already be anxious or depressed or feel stress regularly. Overwhelming feelings of not being able to manage through the holidays is an indicator that holiday stress is present.
Common stress triggers can be financial concerns, family dynamics, time restrictions, and traveling during this busy time.
It is important to recognize what your triggers are to better manage to get through this busy holiday season.
Monetary issues, difficult family members that can create conflict, and how much there is to do in so little time.
Practical Strategies to Manage Holiday Stress
Dealing with your stress and trigger points can be as manageable as practicing the following:
Good sleep hygiene
Exercise
Prioritize time for you
Relaxation and meditation
Avoid engaging with people that can bring you more stress
Boundaries with family and friends
Work/life balance
The Role of Self-Compassion in Reducing Stress
We can be very hard on ourselves when it comes to stress and the holiday season. The holidays can create more pressure and being kind to ourselves and recognizing our capabilities and our resiliency rather than focusing on our deficits. Practicing these kinds of measures can lead to a much healthier self-view and will be beneficial in reducing stress. Regulating your emotions and behaviour will also help in your overall stress reduction.
Practicing self-kindness
Mindfulness in dealing with negative emotions
Daily gratitude journaling
Seeking Support When Overwhelmed
It is important that when you have recognized that you are feeling holiday stress, you follow through to reach out for some support as you are not in this alone! Your support systems can validate your stress and assist you in putting your issues into perspective.
Speaking to a therapist or counsellor
Using your already existing support systems
Community resources for stress management
Embracing a Stress-Free Holiday Season
The holidays can be a time of joy and relaxation and they can also be a time of more stress in our lives. Managing family dynamics, time expectations, meal preparations, and monetary stress can put a damper on your quality holiday time.
Taking care of yourself by eating right, sleeping enough, exercising, and practicing meditation can be a few different ways you can better manage this holiday season. Please know that you are not alone!
If you are feeling that you can’t manage all that is expected of you during this holiday season, please reach out and together we can work on reducing your stress to enjoy what the holiday season was meant to be! Joy and Peace to you all!
