FOCUS is
the free on-line newsletter which gives you the tools and strategies
to achieve the results you want at home & work.
This issue
discusses how to effectively deal with Holiday
Stress.
HOLIDAY
STRESS:
Once again the Holiday season is upon
us: family gatherings, parties, shopping for gifts, the festive
atmosphere which beams out to us over TV, radio and in stores.
Sounds great,
doesn’t it? So why do so
many of us find this time of year so stressful?
For some of us, Holiday stress is simply the by-product of
trying to do too much.
We’re exhausted by the onslaught of too many demands
upon our time, energy and psyche.
For others,
it’s the reality that our family doesn’t measure up to
the smiling, benevolent family idealized by Norman Rockwell.
Or, we’re
troubled by the realization we just don’t feel as joyous and
gleeful as we think we should.
This time of year can feel more like “Bah, Humbug”
than “Ho, Ho, Ho.”
Whatever the
cause, Holiday stress can feel like
a heavy weight pressing down on us.
Here are some ideas on how to lighten up and enjoy this time
of year.
TEN
TIPS FOR COPING WITH HOLIDAY STRESS:
#1. Don’t try to be
Superman or Wonderwoman: Set realistic
goals for what you can accomplish during the Holidays. You can’t do everything and
no one expects you to.
#2. Blame it on Norman Rockwell: A family gathering
doesn’t have to be picture perfect to be fun &
enjoyable. Don’t let
issues from the past spoil your Holiday
celebrations this year.
#3. Disaster…Maybe Not: When something does go
wrong during the Holidays, ask yourself “How bad is this,
really?” On a scale of 1
to 10 with 1 as a mild inconvenience (the milk turned sour) and 10 as
the ultimate disaster (death in the family), where does this
situation fall? You’ll
soon see that most “disasters” are only a 2 or a 3.
#4. Learn to say NO: If you’re in the
habit of agreeing to everything asked of you, learn to say NO
sometimes. Someone once
defined stress as when your head says No and your mouth says
Yes. Learn to make your needs
as important as the needs of others.
#5. Take time out: Take time out from holiday
preparations, gift buying and celebrations to just relax and enjoy
some down time with a good book, a favorite movie or a telephone chat
with your old college roommate.
Taking a break will both relax and energize you.
#6. Get Physical: When you start to feel
worn out or overwhelmed, do something physical: exercise, yoga, swim
at the Y, jog with your neighbor. Exercise releases hormones which
relax you mentally and physically. (And, exercise will help you burn
off some of those extra holiday calories.)
#7. Just be human: Avoid telling yourself
everything you think you should be doing. Don’t be so
hard on yourself. Remember you
don’t have to be perfect, just human. Replace words like “I ought
to” and “I should” with “I want to” and
“I need”.
#8. Take a mini-vacation right at home: When Holiday demands start
to feel like more than you can handle, take a mini-vacation at home:
go for a massage or pedicure, play squash or racquetball, kick off
your shoes, sit in a quiet place & visualize a calm serene memory
like a nap on the beach or sipping cocoa in front of the fire. If you can’t conjure up such
a memory, resolve to seek out a soothing situation like that.
#9. Sleep, sleep, sleep: Be sure to get enough
sleep. Nothing saps energy and
patience more than lack of sleep.
#10. Get help: If stress starts to feel
very uncomfortable & hard to handle, consult a doctor, clergyman,
or mental health professional.
Talk to a relative or a friend. Don’t wait until things get
totally out of control. We all need help coping sometimes.
