Anti-Stress Ideas for the Holiday Season

Heather Austin | 12 December 2005 |

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Take care of yourself (body AND mind) - This means to get adequate sleep, eat your vegetables and take a walk once in a while.

Just say no! - You don’t always have to say yes just because it’s a giving time of year. Do not add to your own stress.

Talk about it….don’t assume - Exchanging gifts and deciding who to buy for can be stressful in itself. If you can, draw names and buy fewer gifts, or suggest to friends to pass on exchanging gifts this year; they might be very glad you did. This not only will help reduce stress for everyone, it’ll help everyone’s pocket book, too. You might also want to think about donating money to a favorite charity in someone’s name instead of giving that person a present.

Prioritize, and keep the rest simple - There are not enough hours in the day (unless, maybe, if you’re Martha Stewart) to do everything to perfection. Make a list of everything that needs to get accomplished, and choose three things that mean the most to you; for example, spending time with family, baking homemade cookies, and sending beautiful holiday cards with handwritten personalized messages inside. If the idea of gift wrapping box after box sets your heart a-racing, consider using holiday drawstring or gift bags.

Find time to relax - Sit in front of the fireplace and enjoy the moment. Take some time to be silent and reflective, even if it’s just 15 minutes. There is scientific proof that doing so can decrease blood pressure, pulse rate, and improve blood circulation. Give this gift to yourself each and every day.

Laughter is the best medicine - If you find yourself getting way too stressed, it’s time to take a laughter break no matter how busy you think you are. Take a trip to your local movie rental store and rent a classic holiday comedy like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Watching this dysfunctional, funny and flaky family get through their Christmas will not only make you laugh, it will make your own holiday problems pale in comparison.

Don’t break the bank - Money can be one of the top reasons you’re stressed during and even after the holiday season. Don’t let your spending bring excess debt into the New Year. Use an easy accounting system like Quicken to set your budget and record your expenses.

Reach out to your fellow man - Tap into the deeper values of the season. Holiday time is the perfect time to forget about your own problems and think about doing something for someone else. In doing so, your own concerns will soon be displaced with that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you reach out and make’s someone’s life a little brighter.

Lighten UP!! - Try to remember no one is perfect. OK, what’s the worst that could happen if you don’t get everything done? Christmas will still come and go.

Heather Austin - Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc.