While the holidays can be a time of connection, joy, and coziness for many, they can also feel stressful, overwhelming, or draining. Many find the holidays to be a stressful time: high expectations, financial difficulties, and heightened demands can create a sense of overwhelm. As we move through the holidays, having some strategies on hand can help us stay grounded, care for our mental health, and find balance.
Plan ahead!
Set aside some time to create a schedule that includes all the shopping, events, and travel included in your holiday season. Maintaining a steady routine offers a sense of security during periods of stress. This involves reflecting on how busy you want your schedule to be and establishing clear boundaries for commitments you cannot take on.
Set Boundaries
Boundaries are a great way of managing overwhelm and stress during the holiday season and setting them can help us feel empowered and in control. To set a boundary, decide what you want ahead of time, before having a conversation with loved ones. This can include deciding how long to stay, what responsibilities to take on, and more. Use clear and gentle language when setting a boundary and be prepared for some pushback. Not everyone may agree with your boundaries, this doesn’t make them wrong. If you’re feeling guilt, gently encourage yourself to replace it with compassion, as boundaries keep our relationships healthy.
Set realistic expectations
Letting go of the need to make the holiday “perfect”, and setting more realistic expectations can help us ease the stress and pressure that often accompanies the holidays and can open the door for us to connect more authentically with the people around us.
Utilize mindfulness techniques
If you notice yourself getting swept up in the holiday craze, remind yourself to take a step back and use mindfulness techniques to reconnect with yourself and your body. Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique can offer relief and help reconnect with ourselves. Going for a walk can create some distance from the function and gives us an opportunity to mindfully take note of our surroundings. These techniques can help us reconnect with ourselves during times of stress and dysregulation.
The holidays can be a stressful time, and while stress itself cannot be eliminated, we can minimize its impact on our well-being when we plan ahead and use coping tools. They allow us to manage the inevitable holiday pressures with greater resilience, ensuring that the season remains a time for connection and joy, rather than exhaustion and anxiety. This can give individuals better opportunities to stay focused on connection and joy, instead of getting completely overshadowed by feeling exhausted and anxious.
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