Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #8 – Get Social

It’s the perfect time of year to take advantage of increased social activities. From cultural events to holiday activities, there’s always more to do. And that means more opportunities to be around people. Being around supportive family members and friends is a sure way to ward off any feelings of loneliness or isolation, and have some fun in the process. And you might even make some new friends too. Check your local events calendars to see what’s going on in your community. Then make a plan to get out there and be social.

Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #7 – Uphold (or Create) a Tradition

Holiday traditions can be passed down from generation to generation, from cookie recipes, to decorations, to how you give and receive gifts. But not all traditions are ones we want to keep alive or pass down to our children. Take a look at the traditions passed down in your family and keep the ones that fit with who you are today – ones that light you up and promote the spirit of the season. Then, if you like, you can add your own traditions to the mix. Traditions can include:

• activities that you do each year, such as caroling or attending a theatrical performance
• foods, from how you prepare them to how you serve them
• the decorations you use
• volunteer work

What tradition will you uphold (or create) this year?

Photo: IMG_3145 © by scanlime

Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #6 – Stick to a Budget

Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items, and then stick to your budget. If you don’t, you could feel anxious and tense for months as you struggle to pay bills.

Don’t try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try some alternatives to keep yourself on financial track. Donate to a charity in someone’s name, consider giving homemade gifts, or start a gift exchange to limit the number of gifts you must buy. Some people even choose to forego expensive gift giving and opt for memory-making activities, like mini-vacations.

What creative way will you find to stick to your budget this year?

Photo: Dollar © by Images_of_Money

Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #5 – Unplug the Technology

Despite popular belief, the world will NOT end if you turn off your phone(s), computer, television, and other electronic devices to enjoy some real human interaction. Even if all you do is spend some quiet, uninterrupted time with yourself and your thoughts, it will be well worth it.

While technology has its place in our day-to-day lives, it can interrupt the joy of the season. Do yourself a favor and step away from the technology, if even for just an hour or two. Read a book, take a walk, cuddle in front of a cozy fire, sip some hot tea or cocoa. And enjoy!

Plug © by Samuel M. Livingston

Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #4 – Learn to Say No

Saying “no” is an art form. We are so programmed to not hurt others’ feelings that we sometimes end up hurting ourselves the most in the end. By saying yes to everything and everyone else during this busy time, you could be setting yourself up for feeling resentful and overwhelmed.

Instead of looking at it as saying “no” to others, think of it as saying “yes” to yourself. Yes to taking care of yourself. Yes to only doing things you really want to do. Yes to a holiday season that is more manageable. What’s not to like about yes?

Photo: JUST SAY NO © by marc falardeau

Managing Your Stress During the Holidays and Beyond: Tip #3 – Work It Out

Many studies have proven that exercise makes a person feel better through the release of endorphins, and it works out the stressful tension in the muscles and recharges your energy levels. To combat the effects of stress this holiday season, try relaxing exercises such as stretching, yoga, or tai chi. Just a few extra minutes of exercise a day can benefit your overall health.

A way to add in more exercise is to park as far as away from the shopping centers as possible. Don’t drive around looking for the closest place to the front door. Park away from the crowds. The extra exercise from walking is a health benefit – to say nothing of the fact that you might avoid a fender bender in a congested parking area – a stressful situation in itself.

Photo: Yoga at Tilden11 © by Greenbelt Alliance