How to Handle Holiday Stress

Holiday stress can really sap the joy out of the holidays for some people.  These simple tips will help us all manage stress and keep the Christmas season jolly.

Stress can be resolved with Planning

Sometimes, it’s easier to just prevent stress happening than manage it once it happens.  “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”- likewise, we can in the planning stage prevent stress.

When you plan how you will enjoy your time these holidays, follow these simple tips:

1.  Plan a relaxed day from the beginning: don’t plan too much in one day.  See if you can spread out visits with family and friends over several days rather than cramming them into the one.  This will help you actually enjoy the time you do have.  You can approach family and say something along the lines of

“We’re going to try something different this year and spread out the holiday visits over several days.  Which day would you prefer?  Christmas Eve or Boxing Day?” (if you’re all ready busy on Christmas).

You may at first be criticized by others if they want to make sure that everything happens on Christmas day, or whichever day it may be.  They can keep their rigid thinking and the stress that goes with it.  You however, have the sense and understanding that the point is to enjoy time with family and friends at Christmastime, not necessarily on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve.  There may be some considerations to work around, but you can free up the space in your day to give more time to actually enjoy with those you love.  If you can’t convince family and friends, be grateful you have family to visit with!

One year we tried three different family gatherings in the one day.  It was exhausting!  We fell asleep soon after we arrived at the last one.  Now we spread them out and it truly is joyful.

2.  Delegate!  If you’re hosting a Christmas gathering, going out or staying at home, don’t take all the responsibility yourself.  Enroll other family members or friends in different responsibilities.  For example, bringing a plate of food, preparing food, wrapping presents, cleaning the house, sending invitations, decorating the Christmas tree, can all be shared with others.  Accept that others might not do it perfectly but by getting others to pitch in you free up your mind for more important things.

Tips on Delegating:

• Explain that as this is an activity everyone will enjoy, everyone should share the responsibility to make sure everyone has a good time
• Let participants choose their responsibilities
• If you do the delegating, choose the right people for the job- if someone enjoys wrapping gifts this can be their responsibility
• Delegate to people’s abilities.  Young children will help clean but they may miss lots of spots!  If someone has never cleaned the kitchen before, they might not do a good job.  Don’t expect a perfect result, just be grateful you now have time to do the important things!
• Ensure you personally are taking some responsibility too (don’t delegate it all)
• Thank those who help for their contribution
• After the activity happens, delegate cleaning up and point out that we had such a great time because we all helped out.  Consider rewarding your delegees.  This will help with future delegating!

My wife delegates menial tasks like picking up toys to our young daughter.  “Let’s get the house clean for our visitors!”  is enough to encourage our daughter’s help.  Lots of thanks accompany the cleaning which is why it keeps working, and my wife has more time for the important tasks.  How can delegating help you?

The Best Laid Plans can go Astray

Even when we plan well, stressful situations can happen.  If something does happen, remember this:

The purpose is of Christmas to enjoy the time we have with family and friends, help others, remember why we celebrate Christmas and have fun.  Don’t let one simple incident ruin your holiday season!  Deal with it and then move on!  Be grateful and look at what is happening that’s good.  You can still have a good day even if the ham or turkey burns, someone forgets to show up or your carpet gets stained.  Stressing won’t change the situation but it will take the fun out of your day.  Do what the occasion requires and be happy!

Widen your perspective.  When we see life as a whole journey, minor annoyances and circumstances lose their power to frustrate us.  Look at what really matters.  If you’re having trouble managing stress during a frustrating incident, think

“Will this event really matter in ten years?”  Most likely the answer is no.  “Can I easily resolve this situation?”  Usually the answer is yes.  Resolve it.  “Is it possible I can enjoy this then?”  Usually the answer is YES!

Be Jolly, have fun, don’t let minor hiccups stress you out of a good day.

Look for the Good

Ask yourself these questions:

• What great thing is happening in my life?
• What is it I am enjoying about today?
• What can make me smile today?

Smile to yourself about something.  Now another thing.  Now another thing.  Smiling actually reduces stress hormones in our brain- it makes things seem less stressful to us!  So smile, and look for the good that is happening in your day and life.  Smiling will make stressful things have less importance and great things have more importance.  Too many of us live with that the other way around.  Smile and look for the good today.

Serve Others

 Helping others always puts life in perspective and helps us see that our own stressors aren’t really that bad.  What a great way to manage stress!  Christmas really is about remembering Him who it’s named after, who spent His life serving others.  You don’t have to believe in Christ to pick up on the Christmas spirit.  My mentor Robert Allen once took his family to a Soup Kitchen at Christmas time.  He even says it was one of the highlights of the trip.  Likewise, how can you help others?  Going Caroling, visiting elderly in old people’s homes (even those you don’t know), giving gifts to those in need, serving at a soup kitchen, smiling at everyone we see, all of these things put life in perspective and help others. 

 You don’t need to be a registered charity to help others.  You can do it yourself!  Or find out about other people doing it and join in!  The sacrifice you make in your time is definitely worth the reward you receive.  You’ll only know what I mean once you help someone yourself.  So go ahead.  Do something nice for someone this Christmas season.  And if you really can’t sacrifice any of your precious time, donate money or gifts instead.  Maybe buy the gifts and get someone else to do the delivering.  Go ahead, give, you’ll definitely thank me.

Be Smart

 The holiday period is known for binge drinking, recreational injuries, family disharmony and other stressful situations.  Use your mind.   And encourage those around you to do so also.  Some things are problems from the beginning so if you’re going to do something potentially damaging to yourself or someone else, think “Where will it lead?”  Avoid creating unnecessary stress that won’t help anyone including you.  Use your mind and enjoy the holiday season!

I hope you enjoy this FREE online Report.  For more great ways to manage stress including powerful Stress Management Techniques, stay posted here on stresstreatment.wordpress.com

 To Your Stress Release,

 Leo Willcocks

Stress Management Expert

 

Although the website listed contains “stresstreatment” in the web address, this service is in no way linked to or involved in medical treatments.  It is simply a great way to manage stress ourselves and enjoy life!  I hope you enjoy what it contains.  Should you want specific medical help, see your doctor.  And have a great life!