With all the economic and
social issues we have experienced over the past few months, our stress levels may have gone up which would affect our lives in many ways.
We all like breaks. But if we are not conscious about the flip-side of holiday making, it would add to the stress we already carry. Spending holidays meaningfully takes deliberate planning and conscious management of those related activities. The very same relationships we enjoy can also cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. Tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family issues, misunderstandings and conflict can intensify. So anticipate what can go wrong and avoid any potential experience that can spoil your holiday making.
Impulse buying
With improved income by way of bonuses etc, we spend money on impulse buying. Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress at any time of the year.
The strain of shopping, visiting friends and relatives, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can make you really tired. Feeling exhausted increases your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Some try to celebrate with the intention of beating others – trying to outdo the others. Holiday destinations, food and accommodation, entertaining friends and on gifts are areas where comparisons are made. Know your capacity and do what’s right for you.
While I’m no expert on the subject, I share with you some thoughts which I think are practical. These should bring your stress level down and be rejuvenated to enhance performance post holiday season.
Set aside specific days for shopping, travelling, visiting friends and other activities. This will help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy gifts, going places, visiting relatives.
Budget
Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don’t, you may feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Learn to say no.
Believe it or not, people will understand if you can’t do certain activities during this period. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you’ll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed. If it’s really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time. Don’t let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is necessary - after all its limited exposure, but prolonged overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt in the long run. Don’t abandon healthy habits for temporary pleasure risking your health.
Make new friends; this brings about new dimensions to your life. New friends means new; knowledge, opportunities, fun and strength - but only if you meet the right ones. Also work on strained relationships if those have reached end-level and make a fresh start.
Be on top
Making some time for yourself is paramount. Spending a mere 30 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Resolutions can set you up for failure if they’re unrealistic. Don’t resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines.
Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Space you would find during a long holiday season is the best for this.
In real life, people don’t usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. Remember that one key to minimizing holiday stress and depression is knowing that holidays can trigger stress and depression.
Accept that things aren’t always will go as planned. Take active steps to manage stress and depression during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could.