As December rolls around, many people find themselves excited yet apprehensive about the upcoming holiday season. Whether it’s Christmas, New Year’s, or any other festive celebration, the period often brings a blend of love, connection, and, unfortunately, stress and exhaustion. We share insightful advice on how to navigate the holidays with ease and grace.
Managing a Lengthy To-Do List
One of the primary sources of holiday stress is the seemingly endless to-do list for many givers and carers in the family.
The responsibilities can feel overwhelming. It is crucial to manage this list effectively to prevent burnout. The key is to start early. Ideally, you should build up your energy bank account through small, regular deposits throughout the year.
If you haven’t managed to do this, don’t fret. Prioritising self-care immediately by incorporating small acts of daily recovery with simple activities like scheduling a 20-minute walk or ensuring you’re drinking enough water can make a noticeable difference. For more tips on maintaining energy, you can listen to the podcast “Three Ways to Stay Energized at Work” (Episode 168) and “Essential Self-Care Practices Every Manager Needs To Avoid Burnout” (Episode 166).
Embracing Delegation
Delegation is another critical strategy for reducing holiday stress. Enlisting the help of family members for various tasks, such as wrapping presents or helping with holiday meal preparation is crucial.
This not only lightens your workload but also creates opportunities for quality time and shared experiences. For instance, you can turn present wrapping for grandparents into a fun activity with the kids.
If you’re hosting a holiday meal, why not ask guests to bring a dish? This simple act of shared effort can ease your burden significantly while also fostering a sense of community and togetherness.
Emotional Preparation
Emotional preparation is just as important as logistical planning during the holidays. Take moments throughout the day to engage in deep breathing exercises, which help in centering oneself.
Placing your hand on your heart and taking three deep breaths can do wonders for relieving stress.
Now allow your breath to find its own natural rhythm. Just take a moment and notice how you’re feeling right now. When we’re stressed or in a rush, we tend to shallow breathe, and shallow breathing is where you’re just breathing into the top of your lungs. You’re relying on your intercostal muscles to do the work of getting that breath in and out rather than your diaphragm. Then go ahead and select three words that encapsulate how you wish to behave and feel during the holiday season. These words serve as a mental anchor, helping you navigate interactions with family and friends more gracefully. Setting gentle reminders on your phone to recall these words can help keep you mindful and grounded.
Dealing with Stressful Moments
Despite thorough preparation, the holiday season can still hold stressful and emotionally challenging moments. You can also use a technique called the white mist technique – a quick and discreet exercise to help manage anxiety.
This involves visualising a serene white mist while practising deep breathing. Imagine you’re breathing in a white mist. You see that mist and it’s circling in and around inside of your head.
As you breathe out, you let go of that white mist. You just breathe it and out. This technique can be done privately, offering a moment of solace even in the midst of chaos.
Creating a Supportive Environment
Creating a supportive holiday environment also means acknowledging your feelings and sharing them with others. Whether it’s a trusted friend, a coach, or even your pet, expressing how you feel can provide significant emotional relief. It is essential to give yourself some grace and recognise that it’s perfectly fine to feel overwhelmed or emotional during this time.
By being mindful, approaching tasks methodically, and prioritising emotional well-being, you can transform the holiday season into a period of joy and relaxation.
Embrace these strategies and make your holidays memorable for all the right reasons. We wish you a Happy Holiday season and we hope 2025 will be a year with vision, success and calm for you and your family.