Concurring Holiday Stress

In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive
– Lee Iacocca

Causes of Holiday Stress

Even though it is often referred to as the “most wonderful time of the year,” a number of aspects that go along with the holiday season can cause major stress. Money is often an area of stress for many people at all times of the year but it is definitely heightened during the holidays as there are many added expenses in the months leading up to the big day. Buying gifts, food and decorations can add up quite quickly and it can be stressful managing these expenses along with regular monthly expenses. Even if you have money properly budgeted to purchasing gifts, there can be a great deal of pressure to find the perfect gift for someone. Finding the perfect can be challenging especially when it feels as though there is a lack of time this season to get everything done that needs to get done. This lack of time can lead to the final cause of holiday stress and that is difficulty in taking care of one’s physical (and mental) health.

Holiday Stress Tips

Juggling everything can be frustrating however there are a few ways that can help to deal with holiday stressors. Money stress can be managed in a few ways. The first way is making a list of who you need to buy for and budget accordingly. This includes budgeting for gifts, food and decorations to avoiding stress from overspending. Another way to avoid holiday shopping stress is to stay away from the malls on peak shopping days and at busy hours. Although Black Friday can be a way to save money, it can also add unnecessary stress from crowds and long wait times. Instead try Cyber Monday or finding other deals online to save money but avoid the stress of busy shopping centres.

A great way to help your mental state around the holidays is to set goals and prioritize the most important things. This includes determining the most important people and valuable traditions that make all the stress worth it. Making time for loved one an breaking things down into small goals can make all the aspects of the holidays more achievable. Making time to take care of yourself is also an essential part to reducing stress around the holidays. Ensuring that you get at least 6–8 hours of sleep every night, exercising daily, even if that means taking a walk around your neighbourhood to look at Christmas lights, and finally try to eat healthy when possible. As many holiday parties and get togethers involve unhealthy foods and snacks, try and eat as healthy as possible before and after parties to help compensate.

Holiday Do’s & Don’t

DO

• Budget
• Set realistic goals & prioritize
• Exercise daily (i.e. going for a walk to look at Christmas lights, tobogganing with the family, etc.)
• Get enough sleep
• Eat healthy- when possible

DON’T

• Go shopping without a plan
• Go shopping at peak hours or peak days
• Forget about who and what is important during the holidays
• Over eat or drink to cope with stress
• Put your physical and mental health on the back burner

Don’t deal with holiday stress alone, contact Terrace Wellness Group for counselling options.

References

• Hillard, J. R., & Buckman, J. (1982). Christmas depression. JAMA, 248(23), 3175–3176.
• Lushniak, B. D. (2013). Holiday Season Stress Free. Public Health Reports, 128(6), 434–435.
• Newswire Association LLC. (2005). Money, Gift Giving, Health and Workload Causes Holiday Stress According to Franklin Covey Survey. PR Newswire.