Holidays are joyful — and stressful. According to a Healthline survey, 62% of respondents felt more stressed than normal during the holidays.
Maybe you have so many commitments, projects, and events that you feel overwhelmed. Or maybe you have so few that you feel like you’re missing out. Perhaps you feel pressure to create a magical experience for your family…or you worry about your budget too much to enjoy seasonal preparations at all. Some families love to spend this time together, while others dread the conflicts that come with it. There are many reasons to feel stressed at the most wonderful time of the year.
Fortunately, there are solutions.
Be like the Stoics
We might think of being stoical as putting up with things uncomplainingly. That’s not what the ancient philosophers known as the Stoics meant. They taught us to focus on things we can control.
You can’t control the number of invitations you receive, but you can control the number of things you agree to. You can’t control inflation, but you can control the amount you choose to spend. You can’t control the behavior of that madcap uncle, but you can control how you respond.
Concentrate on the things you can control and practice a serene reaction to the things that aren’t under your control.
Practice, practice
It’s easier to let things go if you practice. Meditation, prayer, deep breathing, counting to ten — there are lots of intentional relaxation practices that can help you get past a stressful moment. The trouble is, you don’t necessarily think about doing those things when you’re under stress. If your natural reaction to finding yourself in a long line is to pout or shout, you won’t react serenely in a long holiday line full of other frustrated people.
Next time you encounter some small, slightly stressful situation, welcome it as an opportunity to practice a relaxation technique. Breathe deeply and count slowly. You can even try this at a non-stressful time, like when you stop at a traffic light or wait for your computer to boot up.
Soon enough, you’ll have the habit of responding to stressful situations with your relaxation practice, not with anger or another negative stress response.
Keep a firm foundation
You can cope with stress better when you have a foundation of healthy habits. Sleep well, exercise regularly, eat right, and you can weather difficulties better than if you’re overtired and managing on sugar cookies and caffeine.
Take good care of your body by making that a priority. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast and exercise before things get too busy — or plan your day around a trip to the gym or an enjoyable physical activity. Whatever you decide to do, write it down and treat it as seriously as you would an important meeting or a crucial appointment.
Get help if you need it
Asking for help can be hard, but it can also be good. That might mean letting other family members do more of the cooking, giving a colleague at work a chance to take part in a project they’d enjoy, or getting closer to someone by sharing concerns with them.
It might also mean talking with a mental health professional. Most people experience stress during the holidays, but if you are experiencing more than that normal stress, consider talking with your doctor. These are some signs that you may be dealing with more serious issues:
- feelings of hopelessness
- feeling anxious most or all of the time
- frequent trouble sleeping
- loss of interest in things you usually enjoy
When you don’t feel physically well, you visit a doctor for help. When you don’t feel mentally well, it makes sense to do the same. Your primary care physician might refer you to a psychiatrist.