The month of December is marked as “Stress-Free Family Holiday Month.” You experience stress at school, work, in relationships, and everywhere else. Now that the holiday season is approaching, we all believe that we will finally be free of worry and problems. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to research by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (2006), people in the United States are more likely to experience their stress increase rather than decrease during the holidays. Because we are only a few days away from the holidays, how are you feeling right now?
5 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress
Plan out your priorities
We all want to have a perfect holiday, but unfortunately, this can only cause more stress during holidays. Avoid this by planning out your priorities. Let go of the idea that we need to have the perfect holiday and just do the things that will make it simple but meaningful (Tanglaw, 2020).
Acknowledge your feelings
It’s okay to grieve or to feel sadness, even if it’s the holiday season already. If someone close to you has recently died, do not force yourself to feel happy just because it is a holiday. Acknowledge whatever you are feeling, whether it is sad or happy. Just because everyone is happy doesn’t mean you have to be happy also.
Learn to say No
You don’t need to attend every party you are invited to just because it is the holiday season. Yes, this can be a time to reunite and meet your friends or relatives, but you don’t need to do that if you don’t feel like it. True friends and real family relatives will understand if you decline their invitations.
Make some time for yourself
At the end of this holiday season, you’ll feel all the exhaustion from everything, starting from the preparation up to the very last day of the season. After all of that, take a breather and do something you’ll like. Read a book, take a walk, or do anything that’ll reduce your stress by clearing your mind and returning the calmness inside you.
Reach out for support
Not everyone ends up having it all together during this holiday season. Some may feel like “Yes! Everything is going to be a success.” but there will also be those who think, “Oh no, this is what I’m afraid of.” This is going to be a disaster!”. This is what we fear. We’re assuming the worst. Do not be afraid to reach out for support in times like this. You can reach out to other people for any of these two supports (Tanglaw, 2020 as cited in Morelli, Lee, Arnn, & Zaki, 2015) when in fear:
- Emotional Support is when someone can help you with what you are going through by talking to you and being there for you.
- Instrumental Support is where they can assist you in providing the help or support you need.
The holiday is just around the corner. This doesn’t mean you’re already free from all the negativities of life. It is important that we still take care of ourselves by practicing some ways to reduce these negativities, like stress. You may also want to learn more about stress, especially how you can find good stress in life. But if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by everything that is happening, don’t hesitate to seek help from a mental health professional. Nothing is more important during the holidays than yourself.
Shirley Therapeutic and Consulting Services, LLC is a diverse therapy clinic that can meet the needs of anyone. If you’d like to talk about your own or your family member’s mental health, feel free to message us here or refer us to them.
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Holiday stress. American Psychological Association. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2006/12/holiday-stress.
https://www.facebook.com/tanglawmentalhealth/photos/a.511799889344324/959537407903901/?type=3
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, December 11). Tips for coping with Holiday Stress. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544.
Morelli, S. A., Lee, I. A., Arnn, M. E., & Zaki, J. (2015). Emotional and instrumental support provision interact to predict well-being. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 15(4), 484–493. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000084
National Stress-Free Family Holiday Month: How to have an ‘almost’ stress-free holiday in 2020. High Country Behavioral Health. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.hcbh.org/blog/posts/2020/december/national-stress-free-family-holiday-month-how-to-have-an-almost-stress-free-holiday-in-2020/.
