The holiday season brings opportunities to come together with those we love. The season can also include stress and we can find ourselves needing to tap into strategies that work to manage stress. Here are five tips to support your health and wellness throughout the holiday season.
- Don’t over-commit. Try not to commit yourself to more than what you are capable of managing. It is okay to set and maintain boundaries during the holiday season.
- Set realistic timelines. Write out a “to-do” list, organize your calendar, and understand your deadlines. Ask family to help achieve those deadlines and do some of the heavy lifting on tasks if you are feeling overwhelmed.
- Acknowledge your feelings. The holidays can bring a lot of feelings and stress to the surface. Acknowledge those feelings, allow yourself to feel them instead of trying to avoid them, and be honest with yourself about asking for support. In general, people want to help, but they only know how to do that if you tell them what you need.
- Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Find something that you enjoy doing that can also reduce stress. Exercise, meditation, and curling up with a good book are all ways that can nourish you and help clear your mind and emotions.
- Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are. Coming from a place of curiosity and understanding can open up space to share opinions, views and thoughts. Set aside a later time outside of the holidays to discuss grievances.