Ah, the holidays have arrived. That means lots of family gatherings, parties, concerts, shopping, fighting for parking, stress, lack of sleep, overindulgence of food and alcohol, workout neglect, chaos.
The great news is that there are small things we can do to help decrease the stress this time of year.
- Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can’t participate in every project or activity. If it’s not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.
- Make time for yourself. Just 10 to 20 minutes of quiet reflection may bring relief from chronic stress as well as increase your tolerance to it. Use the time to listen to music, relax, and try to think of pleasant things or nothing at all. If you feel your muscles begin to tense as you go through your day, take a mini-break: Breathe deeply, inhale to the count of six, pause for a second and then slowly exhale.
- Banish negative thoughts. If you find yourself thinking, “This can’t be done,” snap back to attention. Think instead, “This will be tough. But we can make it work.” Putting a positive spin on negative thoughts can help you work through stressful situations.
- Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That’ll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
- Keep your healthy habits alive. Don’t let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don’t go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity.
- Keep laughing. Humor is a great way to relieve stress. Laughter releases endorphins — natural substances that help you feel better and maintain a positive attitude. Studies suggest laughter may lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and increase circulation as well.
- Take a Restorative Yoga class. If yoga were a smorgasbord, restorative postures would most definitely be at the dessert table. These soothing and well-supported poses offer us the opportunity to linger quietly for a few moments and savor the simple sweetness of life.
I invite you to incorporate a few of these techniques into your life and see how much better you feel throughout the holidays.
be well-
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