Holiday Stress Tips

Does holiday stress cause you to more hassles than hurrahs? If holidays are a cause of stress for you then these holiday stress tips can give you the stress free holiday that you both need and want.

Nicole a mother of two says "I often feel like a pressure cooker around holiday time, I'm about ready to blow my top at the end of them"...."the traffic jams, more debt, entertaining the children and relatives...it just wipes me out!"

Are you dreaming of that stress free holiday?

Make your dream into reality with these these stress relief tips.

Let's face it....Holidays are supposed to be a time of rest, relaxation and fun - but sometimes it can just be hard work.

The key to getting a grip on holiday stress is to recognize your triggers.

Your holiday triggers and causes of stress

Cramming shopping trips to the mall, office parties and family get togethers into an already VERY crowded schedule.

Does this sound like your holiday season?

Holidays can be stressful with a change or routine and so much going on. To maximize your chance of a stress free holiday it is important to recognize your stress triggers.

There are three main areas in which stress can impact your holidays.

Holidays are a time for family and friends to take time out and spend it with each other.

But it can be a time of heightened levels of tension which can be a fertile ground for misunderstandings.

This can create a battleground of friction and conflict as the different personalities of family members are brought together for a couple of days.

Alternatively, the holiday period can be a lonely and sad time if you are without a a loved one.

Spending on gifts, entertainment and travel can take its toll on your finances.

If you find that the mall is putting up next years decorations before you have paid off your credit card, then you may be under financial stress.

Financial stress is not just limited to dollars and cents. This type of stress can lead to depressive symptoms such as feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

With shopping to do, meals to prepare, and social gatherings to attend; holiday season can leave you wiped out.

With little spare time and feelings of exhaustion you can become more frustrated and stressed, perpetuating a cycle of increasing stress.

Holiday stress tips for a stress free holiday

Take time out. Holidays can leave you exhausted and taking time out is important.

4 week holidays are a time of the past - we now take shorter holidays and cram more into them!

This can be a recipe for increased stress.

Make sure not to over plan your holidays...give yourself adequate time for rest and relaxation - create the space for spontaneity, fun and recuperation!

Exercise. Do you eat more throughout the holiday season? Silly question huh...I always put on a few pounds over the break.

Exercise can help you to ward off fat and help relax your body and cleanse your mind.

Exercise reduces stress by ridding the body of accumulated stress products.

Exercising also gives you a natural boost of energy and elevates your mood through your body's natural feel good chemicals - endorphins. These exercise and stress tips will help you to remain motivated to reach your exercise goals.

Get enough sleep. Holidays can involve partying, catching up with friends and a change in your routine. Sleep can be put on the back-burner.

The more tired you get the more susceptible to stress you become.

This makes getting enough sleep important for your holiday stress.

Plan ahead. Nothing creates more stress than last minute shopping expeditions or holiday bookings. By planning ahead and setting aside time each day for yourself and quality time with your kids can reduce holiday stress.

Flip your thinking Your thoughts influence your feelings! If you have a negative outlook then you are more likely to be stressed and depressed.

These positive mental attitude tips can increase your skills at coping with holiday stress and be more contagious than a winter's cold.

Have realistic expectations. The expectation of the perfect holiday can be stressful.

The "everything must be right" attitude can create an unrealistic expectation and undue pressure for the perfect holiday.

Counter this type of holiday stress by accepting that situations can be out of your control and that perfections is "idealistic" rather than "realistic".

These postive thinking tips may be beneficial for you.

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