5 Tips for Surviving the Holidays
‘Tis the season!… for holiday stress. A recent poll found that 81% of people feel heightened stress during the holiday season (Monster.com, 2023; Sleepopolis, 2024). Whether this is from overexposure to family, financial strain, or demanding work hours, learning how to manage these stressors with coping skills and other techniques could be extremely helpful.
Set Boundaries: Starting out with a tough, but necessary tip! Implementing boundaries with family or friends is essential when surviving the holidays. Some boundaries that may come in handy this holiday season are:
Saying ‘no’.
Letting others know what conversations you won’t be having. (ie. politics)
Using ‘do not disturb’ on your phone; or turning your phone off.
Leaving holiday functions and gatherings early.
Take A Time-Out: Time-out’s are definitely not just for kids. Adults need them, too! This time of year can be very overwhelming and sometimes taking a minute to take a breath, go for a walk, step outside in the cold air, or scream into a pillow can help relieve stress!
Make Self-Care a Priority: With the heightened stress that comes from the holidays, it is important to remember to take care of yourself. This can look like:
Getting enough sleep.
Moving your body for both physical and mental health benefits.
Make time for hobbies and the things you love to do.
Disconnecting from your phone or social media.
Have a Healthy Outlet: When the stress ends up getting to you or becomes too overwhelming, there are ways you can release the stress in healthy ways such as:
Using social supports to vent or discuss the stressors you are experiencing.
Journaling about your experiences so you can say exactly what you want without opinion or judgement of others.
Exercising. Putting your frustrations and stress into a workout can help exhaust you both mentally and physically.
Acknowledge Your Feelings: Ignoring your feelings or allowing emotions to build up overtime can cause the emotions to come out in more destructive ways. This can look like angry outbursts, feeling irritable, muscle tension, headaches and stomach aches, and even difficulty sleeping.
Instead of ignoring your feelings, acknowledge them by allowing yourself to feel the emotions and then using healthy coping and management for whatever it is that you need.