Reduce Your Stress This 2007 Holiday Season
by Patricia Schaefer
In today's world of two-earner households, 1.87 children, and a myriad of
obligations and scheduled activities, the average American's plate is
already brimming with more than a fair share of time-draining
responsibilities. An American Psychological Association (APA) 2007 poll
shows that "one-third of Americans are living with extreme stress and nearly
half of Americans (48 percent) believe that their stress has increased over
the past five years."
It's no wonder then that the holiday season -- with its merry "To Do" list --
can lead us to a state of "extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain:" The
American Heritage Dictionary's apt definition of "stress."
Take actions now to reduce stress levels this season and even put the "Happy"
back in your "Holidays."
Take care of yourself
Your body and mind function best with adequate sleep, nourishment and
exercise. This is your first line of defense against the added stress and
demands of the holiday season.
Don't be tempted to get by on less-than-needed sleep; instead, look for ways
to simplify holiday preparations. Try not to overindulge in too many fatty or
sweet-laden foods that abound this time of year. These types of food zap your
energy levels, and can send your mood on a roller-coaster ride of unwanted highs
and lows. If you must cut back on your normal exercise time, try to keep fit by
incorporating some movement in your daily errands; i.e., parking further away
from store entrances, or taking stairs instead of escalators or elevators.
Don't break the bank
Money is one of the top reasons Americans are stressed during and even after the
holiday season. Establish limits that won't cause a financial burden on you and
your family. Homemade or thoughtful, inexpensive gifts from the heart are often
cherished far more than high-priced items. Long after those expensive gifts have
been opened, what you gave will most likely be forgotten, but what you paid will
keep coming back month after month... in your credit card bills.
Prioritize, and keep the rest simple
There are not enough hours in the day -- unless, maybe, if you're Martha
Stewart -- to do everything to perfection. Make a list of everything that needs
to get accomplished, and choose three things that mean the most to you; for
example, spending time with family, baking homemade cookies and sending
beautiful holiday cards with handwritten personalized messages inside.
Everything else: Simplify, simplify, simplify. Let's say you want to simplify
gift giving, consider buying different versions of the same item; like buying a
different book for each person on your gift list. Choose each person's book with
his or her individual preferences and interests in mind. Or, if the idea of gift
wrapping box after box sets your heart a-racing, consider using holiday
drawstring or gift bags.
Identify your holiday stressors
APA recommends that you ask yourself which particular holiday events or
situations trigger your stressful feelings. Then determine if you are relying on
unhealthy behaviors like smoking, drinking or eating to manage stress --
behaviors that can contribute to common health problems like obesity, heart
disease and diabetes ... and ultimately, more stress. Replace any unhealthy
coping behaviors with healthy ones like taking especially good care of yourself
during the holiday season, and asking for and accepting help from others.
APA also reported in December of 2006 that "women (44 percent) are more
likely than men (31 percent) to report an increase of stress during the holiday
season, citing lack of time (69 percent versus 63 percent), lack of money (69
percent versus 55 percent), and pressure to give or get gifts (50 percent versus
42 percent) as primary stressors."
Laughter is the best medicine
If you find yourself getting way too stressed, it's time to take a laughter
break no matter how busy you think you are. Rent a classic holiday comedy like
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation or A Christmas Story.
Watching these two dysfunctional, funny and flaky families get through their
Christmases will not only make you laugh, but will also make your own holiday
problems pale in comparison. Another more current holiday film that is already a
classic is Elf. This sweet and funny movie will not fail to entertain,
especially the exceptional performances of Will Ferrell and Peter Dinklage.
Schedule some tranquil time for yourself every day
One of the world's greatest leaders in the field of mind body medicine,
Deepak Chopra, meditates every day for about an hour and a half. This holistic
healer manages to do this in spite of an exceedingly busy schedule. Chopra says,
"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It's a way of entering into
the quiet that's already there-buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average
person thinks every day."
So, the last thing you might want to do during the hectic holidays is the
very thing that you need to do: Take some time to be silent and reflective, even
if it's just 15 minutes. There is scientific proof that doing so can decrease
blood pressure, pulse rate, and improve blood circulation. Give this gift to
yourself each and every day, and try to replace your holiday anxieties with the
warm loving messages truly intended for the season.
Lighten up
OK, what's the worst that could happen if you don't get everything done? One
woman I know found out. Right in the middle of addressing her Christmas cards --
she got up to the letter "J" -- her husband became severely ill from an acute
case of pneumonia. Soon after, he started taking a prescribed medication, and
went into life-threatening anaphylactic shock. She didn't know if her husband
and beloved father of their two children would survive. After six days in the
hospital, he returned home -- two days before Christmas.
The last half of the Christmas cards were never mailed. The tree never went
up, and half of the gifts never got wrapped. And it just didn't matter after
all. Her husband was alive and on his way to a full recovery ... and the
unbelievable kindnesses that were extended to her and her husband by the nurses,
doctors and perfect strangers in the hospital, brought to the forefront the true
meaning of the season. It was the most beautiful and precious Christmas their
family had ever shared.
Reach out to your fellow man
Tap into the deeper values of the season. Holiday time is the perfect time
to forget about your own problems and think about doing something for someone
else. In doing so, your own concerns will soon be displaced with that warm,
fuzzy feeling you get when you reach out and make's someone's life a little
brighter.
The holiday season can be a difficult, sad or lonely time for many
individuals. Consider doing one of the following with your family: Invite an
elderly widow or widower in your neighborhood into your home for cocoa and
cookies, "adopt" someone for the holidays who is either away from family or has
no family, serve a meal at a local soup kitchen, or visit with some elderly
folks at a nursing home (and don't forget to bring along some small gifts).
Share your own holiday stress-busting tips
In holidays past, have you found ways to effectively reduce your stress
levels? Click on the following link to share this valuable information with our
readers.
Stress-busters.
Copyright 2007, Attard Communications, Inc.
Patricia Schaefer is a staff writer for Business Know-How.
She can be reached by email at
pschaefer@businessknowhow.com. |
