Ahhhh, its that time of year again! The time that can fill people with the most joy and cheer, and the most stress. The rate of anxiety attacks increases drastically over the holiday season, because of the increase in stress that this time of year can cause on a person. For those of you who are struggling through this time of year, here are five ways to cope with the stress that the holiday season can bring.
1. Stick to a gift budget.
One of the most stressful parts of the holiday season is buying presents for family members. It can be easy to get caught up in finding the perfect present for people. Stores can be an overwhelming place filled with so many things to buy that it induces more stress than it should. One way to minimize this stress is by sticking to a gift budget. This way, when you walk into a store, you know to focus on things that are the price you are aiming for. This budget will keep your gifts balanced for each person, and will allow for you to manage your money through the holiday season.
2. Don't completely abandon your daily routine.
The holidays are a time where a lot of unexpected things and people are brought into your day. One way to reduce the holiday stress is by taking it back to the basics. Where there are a lot of things that you cannot control around the holiday season, find the things that you usually focus on and can control, like your daily routine. By continuing to do things like eating when you typically eat in a day, and working out, you will not only be a better person for yourself, but for your family.
3. Plan ahead.
We all know that feeling you get in your chest when you realize that you forgot to get a present for someone. You then have to rush to the store last minute just hoping that you have enough time to get the presents. The best way to prevent this is by planning ahead. If you make a list of what you want to get people, and stick to the list and get the presents weeks in advance, you will prevent the chance of last minute scramble for presents that usually happens.
4. Avoid conflict.
We all know that no family is perfect. Every family has their own set of drama that can cause for tension over the holiday season. One way to lower the stress over the holidays is to set aside differences that you share with relatives when having conversations with them. By avoiding conflict, it can help you to be able to get through the holiday season with these difficult relatives with the least amount of stress possible.
5. Take some time for yourself.
During the holidays, you are surrounded by a lot more people then you usually are in your everyday life. It can be extremely overwhelming to walk into a room and to be expected to hold conversations with people you do not usually talk to. A way to reduce stress caused by this is by taking a ten minute break. Just go to the bathroom, and take some time for yourself. Do some deep breathing, reset, and go back outside. This will allow for you to be less overwhelmed by the amount of people around you, and you will be able to enjoy the time spent with your family more this way.
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