How to Avoid Stress During the Holidays

The winter holidays are just around the corner. And if that makes you a little anxious, you’re not alone: 27 percent of people say that “stressed” is their usual holiday season state! Stress and anxiety are common mental health issues at any time of year, but experts agree that stress rates spike around the holidays.

There are decorations to put up, presents to buy, family members to host or visit, and it can all be a little much. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things we can do to reduce our stress around the holidays. One of the most important steps that you can take is to start planning ahead early, so that your holiday preparations aren’t done in a stressful last-minute whirlwind. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you make your plans for the holidays.

Decking the halls

Having a festive home with great holiday decorations can really put you in the mood for a heartwarming holiday season. The problem, of course, is that getting your home into festive shape can be stressful in and of itself.

Here’s a tip: decorate a little earlier than you usually do, and start your decoration planning with a few key purchases. Don’t waste time with cheap holiday lights. You’ll lose your cool if you put up dozens of strands just to watch the bulbs flicker out. Instead, invest in some high-quality LED Christmas lights. They’re not much more expensive, and they’ll make decking the halls a whole lot less stressful.

Presents in the present

If you leave all your present-buying for a future date, you’re going to run out of time fast. Shop right now, and get your presents in the present, not the future.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go out on a mission to buy Christmas presents right now. Instead, just pick things up when you see them. You can organize your gift-buying with a spreadsheet or a simple list. Start as early in the year as you’d like — the earlier the better — and just stash the gifts away and mark them down as you go.

If you buy gifts sporadically over the course of several months or even an entire year, you’ll find that you have far fewer gifts to track down by the time December rolls around. In fact, you may have a secret stash with everyone on your gift-giving list covered, in which case you can enjoy a holiday season that’s entirely free of stressful last-minute shopping!

Treat yourself to a special holiday season

The holidays are a great time to think of others, but don’t forget to spoil yourself a little bit. If you don’t let yourself have a good time during the holidays, you’re going to have a rough winter and return to work afterward feeling even more drained than when you left.

While you’re shopping for others, allow yourself a small budget for yourself. Get yourself something nice to wear to a family gathering, holiday party, or religious service. You don’t have to spend big to feel good, you can just head to an online boutique to get a couple of nice-fitting boutique dresses without breaking the bank.

If you plan ahead and give a little something to yourself as well as to others, you’ll find that the holiday spirit is a whole lot easier to find. By subtracting the stress, you’ll give yourself the peace of mind that you need in order to really enjoy the holidays and share gifts and your home in the generous spirit of the season.