Holiday Stress - How to Handle It
Jackie Binion | 8 December 2006 |
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The Holidays are here and in full swing! The decorating, the cooking, the family, the shopping - it can all be so overwhelming. Sometimes we forget that the person behind the counter, in the next cubicle or in the CEO’S office may be feeling everything we are, if not more.
The Holiday season is supposed to be one of the most celebrated times of the year, but it can also one of the most stressful. Work can be a relief for some, however the stress level there can be elevated during this season too. Not to mention there’s that end of the year push to make it “the best year ever” for the business.
The Mayo Clinic identifies three areas that can be major stress triggers during the Holidays:
- Relationships
- Financial Stress
- Physical Demands
But how do you handle these stressors? Stress is bad enough in our personal lives, but it never ends at work. First off you have to realize that there is a good and bad side to stress. All that negative energy can make you tired, decrease performance and cause both physical and psychological issues. But, the extra energy can enable workers to go the extra mile and add inspiration.
Be sure that you can recognize the symptoms of stress. The University of New Hampshire defines the emotional symptoms of stress as fear or panic, survival guilt, grief, rage, depression, labile mood, and irritability or mood swings. These have such affects on the human body as excess perspiration, upset stomach or a racing heart. But the long term problems can be quite severe ranging from high blood pressure to ulcers.
Learn ways to manage your stress. The typical, common sense suggestions for living a good life are great ways to help manage your stress. Learn how to count to 10, drink a glass of water, practice your deep breathing, or take a quick break. Live a healthy life by eating good food, sleep, exercise and try to live a balanced life by separating work and home.
All these things can be taught and good stress management can be key to performance in life and at work. Help yourself by helping others know how to identify stress and how they can manage it. It may be the key to a successful year end at your business.
Jackie Binion - Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc.
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December 21st, 2006 at 3:34 pm
I think you touch on a good point Jackie. The aspect I’d like to expand upon is the stress of those on vacation, as it is especially relevant for us in the lodging industry, and arguably more so during the holiday season.
It is all too easy for us that live, work and play in the resorts where people spend big money to come on vacation, to forget that our guests quite often have not had a vacation in months, maybe years. Here in Winter Park, Colorado, all too frequently I see guests arrive, not only exhausted from long periods of unbroken (and stress-related) work, but tired and fed up of the actual planning and traveling involved to actually get to their vacation destination.
Traveling in itself can potentially be very stressful – either the long haul from home for our drive-destination guests, or the drive to the airport (don’t be late), followed by possible delayed flights, missed connections, late arrivals, re-scheduled shuttles and a white-knuckle drive over Berthoud Pass in blizzard conditions. Throw in a few impatient or crying kids to compound a headache brought on by a 9,000 foot elevation change, and then see what state of mind you guest is in when they arrive at your front desk to check in.
Consequently, it is incumbent upon us not only to ensure that their lodging is in good shape and ready to go, but to welcome them on arrival, and make the whole check-in process as relaxing, pleasant and hassle-free as possible. You can be assured that the slightest thing wrong during these first few minutes and hours will send them over the edge. I have found through experience that given a day or two to relax and unwind, after a few memorable turns on the mountain, a hot-tub, a couple of great dinners and a beer or glass of wine or two, and things are way different.
Merely giving the guest a set of keys and directions to the unit is not good enough. It’s our job to help them lose some of their built-up stress by giving quality guest service from the beginning to the end of their vacation. A greater understanding of the possibility that the guest in front of you might be completely stressed out, followed by a smile and a few smoothing words will go a long way.
December 21st, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Brian,
Yes, I agree 100% with everything you say here!! This especially rings true after this huge snowstorm that has basically disabled parts of our great state. Thanks for a great addition to my post. Happy Holidays!