The holidays can be a tricky time. They’re filled with parties, celebrations, and reunions with family and friends, but they can also bring a lot of stress. What’s fun for one person may be overwhelming for another. Not everyone looks forward to holiday visits home, and some people feel so swamped with parties that they stop enjoying them.
Stress doesn’t necessarily end when the holidays do. Here are five ways to combat stress before and after the holidays.
In 2015, the average American added about $986 in holiday debt, with over half using credit cards to cover expenses. This debt takes months to pay off, often incurring interest. While using credit can alleviate short-term holiday stress, it leads to more stress later. It’s better to save throughout the year and only spend what you have saved. If you’re already behind this year, set a budget and try to minimize credit card usage. Your future self will thank you.
The holidays often come with a relentless series of social events. While exciting for some, it can be draining for others. Make sure to carve out some personal time, whether it’s a few hours or an entire weekend. Just like your cell phone, you need to unplug and recharge. A digital detox can be beneficial as well. With everyone demanding your time during the holidays, consider turning off your phone for a few hours or days to focus on what matters most to you.
Amid all the holiday craziness, your fitness routine might fall by the wayside. Don’t stress about maintaining peak performance, but try to fit in a few workouts. The holidays are full of rich foods and can drain your energy. Exercise helps boost your mood and energy levels, so if you’re feeling down, go for a run, walk, or do a quick yoga session.
During the holidays, we often focus on everyone else’s needs, shopping, cooking, and entertaining for others. While this isn’t bad, you need to make sure your own needs are met too. Take time for yourself and don’t hesitate to pamper yourself a bit. Book a massage, enjoy a long bath, or buy yourself a nice gift. You deserve a happy holiday too.
One of the toughest but most crucial aspects of reducing holiday stress is setting boundaries. This could mean limiting the number of holiday parties you attend, telling your family you can’t make it home, or informing your boss you can’t work overtime. Setting boundaries is essential for your well-being, even though it’s hard during the holidays due to guilt. Accept that you might disappoint some people, and that’s okay. They are adults, and their happiness shouldn’t depend on you.
A key to minimizing holiday stress is ditching the mindset of having to do everything. Besides basic needs like eating and sleeping, there’s little you genuinely must do over the holidays. Just because others want you to feel obligated doesn’t mean you have to comply. This holiday season, focus more on what you want to do and less on what you think you “have” to do.