It is inconceivable that anyone will be feeling stressed during the festive periods. Generally we should be feeling the joy and happiness from coming together with family and friends to partake in the celebrations. Yet the parties, the gifting, the baking and sometimes the family members can make the festive period downright overwhelming. Here are some tips on how you can manage the stress you generally feel during this frantic period of the year.
How You Can Avoid Stress During The Festive Period
Shop During Off Peak Hours
Shopping is meant to be an enjoyable activity where you shop your hearts out. However maneuvering the crowds on weekday nights or weekends is a nightmare! Add on the pressure of not completing your shopping list and it is no wonder anyone can suffer from a breakdown. Take a deep breath and calm yourself down. What you can opt to do is to take a day off from work. Most people are at work during the day so you can have the mall almost to yourself. No maddening crowds to squeeze through, no frenzied sales staff who disappeared with your enquiries only to reappear eons later with other customers hot on their heels, and plenty of products still available for sale. If you are unable to take a day off from work, there is always the option of shopping online. You can browse through catalogs and different online retailers in the comfort of your seat without having to leave your house.
Remember To Treat Yourself
So you made it through the crazy crowds and only completed half of your shopping list, and you are drained. All this hustling and bustling can indeed drain your energy. One tip you can consider is to buy a little gift for yourself for every 10 presents that you had bought for others. Or you can also consider booking a spa treatment for yourself in the midst of this stressful period. When you are stressed, it will show on your skin, in the appearance of acne breakouts. What you can do is to pamper yourself with a facial treatment where you get your me-time and also achieve a pristine and flawless complexion to flaunt during the festive periods.
Carbo-charge Yourself
During this period of time, never neglect yourself. If you are feeling peckish at 4pm in the afternoon, go for a snack. However, not just any holiday snack that is loaded with sugar. Go for pretzels or nuts instead. Not only are they healthy, but they can get you through the day as carbohydrates boost the serotonin (a powerful brain chemical) that can help you to feel calmer.
Eat Smaller Meals
Another way to combat the stress is to small meals throughout the day. When you are under stress, it is actually effective to eat stress-reducing foods, however, these effects can only last about two to three hours. To maintain a lower level of stress, try to eat several small meals instead. However, do note not to stress eat. The key is to maintain the small amount of calories as if you are eating three regular meals a day. You would not want to stress eat which might make you put on weight, and causing you further stress.
Fix Your Stress Points
You know you generally feel stressed during this period. However, do you know what exactly stresses you out? Was it because you are the only person planning festive parties? How about delegating tasks out to each family member? In this way, you get help in pulling off the parties while keeping your sanity. At the same time, when the family is involved in a project, it builds cohesiveness.
Exercise To Relieve Stress
The back-to-back parties, alcohol and over-indulging in sweet treats can make you feel sluggish, guilty and tired. What you can do to is to maintain an exercise schedule during this period. Not only will you be working off the excess food, the endorphins you release during exercising can make you feel better. Additionally, exercising can provide you with energy to help you last through the holiday period.
Lower Your Expectations
So what if you have killed that plate of sausages, or your plates do not match your glasses or you ran out of food for the visiting family members and friends? There is no need to keep up with the Joneses. The festive period is a time where all family members and friends are gathered together to celebrate a happy occasion. All that matters is the memories you create with them during this period, especially if you have family and friends who are living overseas. Maybe the burnt sausages could be a funny memory for you to commemorate on this joyous occasion instead. Just relax and have a good time with your loved ones.