How to Deal With Holiday Stress

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and more are right around the corner. With so many holidays underway, society is going to become more hectic—more celebrations, more community events and people scrambling to scrape things together last minute.

Just because things are getting busier in society doesn't mean you have to take on its tenseness. Below, discover five ways to keep your stress at bay this holiday season.

Start Shopping Early

Shopping for gifts during the holiday can be a headache. Between Black Friday and Christmas sales, every store will be bustling, and with more people, the more likely you will be annoyed with people simply being irritating humans. This year, shop strategically by keeping your eyes peeled for sales, especially online ones. Plus, the earlier you shop, the more crowds you can avoid.

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Turn Down Invitations

You may receive an overwhelming number of invitations to holiday parties. You do not have to feel pressured to attend every single one. To maintain your sanity, pick and choose which ones are the most important or will bring you the most joy.

 

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Maintain (and Increase) Self-Care

If you are more stressed during the holidays, you will want to maintain your self-care routine more than ever. Taking time to do something you enjoy will give you the much-needed serotonin boost and prevent you from feeling too burned out from all the going. It might even be the perfect time to do extra self-care as a gift to yourself.

 

Set Boundaries With Your Loved Ones

More than likely, you'll be spending a lot of time with family, including ones whose beliefs you don't necessarily align with. Instead of getting roped into dread political and religious conversations, kindly remove yourself from the situation, whether verbally or physically. There's no need to ruin your holiday mood because of topics you don't want to hear about—and it will make it a lot easier to enjoy the presence of your relatives.

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Practice Gratitude

After all, the holidays are the season of thankfulness and appreciation. It might be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all, but it can be a reset for your mind to step back and remember why it began. Expressing gratitude is also associated with improved health—you may notice your anxiety and depression will decrease, and your sleep will improve.

 

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