Holidays are the time of
year to seduce the senses and bolster the bonds between
family and friends. But even the hardiest of revelers can
succumb to holiday stress. Fret not, you weary holiday
warriors. Below are tips for managing holiday stress. These
holiday stress tips include ways to stay organized, ways to
volunteer your time, decorate, shop, cook, and even write
cards - all the while making your health and happiness top
priorities.
Time Management Tips to Minimize Stress: Stress and
depression often go hand in hand. It is estimated that 10
percent of the population experiences depression triggered
by stress. You can minimize these unwanted effects by
controlling time spent on holiday chores.
-Set limits. Don't try to do everything in one day or one
weekend. Map out your holiday schedule, decide how much you
can do at any given time and stick with it. Don't forget to
ask for help if needed.
- Take time for yourself. It's easy to get burdened with a
to-do list but while writing down your To-Dos, remember to
pencil in time for relaxation and daily rest. Complete a
crossword or Sudoku puzzle. Take a walk, a nap or a long,
hot bubble bath. These little mental and physical breaks are
quick ick-me-ups that will rejuvenate you.
-Help others. If you have the time, volunteer. If you have
the money, cut a check. Helping those less fortunate than
you can lift your spirits and remind you what the holidays
are about. Suggested organizations include the Arthritis
Foundation's Jingle Bell Run, the Marines Toys for Tots
Foundation, Meals on Wheels, or even helping the Red Cross
with the hurricane victims. Your available time and/or money
will dictate whether your benevolent efforts are small or
grandiose.
-Remember what's important. Holidays are about family,
friends and your religious beliefs, not about who got what
gift. Take part in events that make you feel good and say no
the others.
-Skip the holiday spirits. Alcohol, a depressant, can dampen
your mood. It can affect sleep, increase stress, and
exacerbated existing medical conditions.
-Laugh out loud. Remember to enjoy yourself. In fact, make
it the number one priority. Laughter is excellent therapy
for holiday stress. Even giggles can relax muscles, boost
circulation and help dissolve stress.
-Make compromises. If time is getting the best of you, skip
the card writing. Instead, multitask your holiday
well-wishes. Grab your hands-free headphone and call your
friends to wish them happy holidays. Talking to friends and
family will boost your spirits. If you still want to send
cards, get printed ones to save time.
-Don't create a financial burden. Don't cause added worry
and stress by overspending. Simplify gift giving. Ask family
members to do a grab-bag gift exchange. Or forego the gift
exchange altogether. Enjoy less expensive entertainment by
driving to decorated houses or going to free concerts. Tone
Down the Decor: Twinkling lights and poinsettias sprinkled
throughout the house and home do wonders for the holiday
spirits. However, doing the "Christmas Threw Up On My House"
type of over-decorating will push you over the edge. Here
are a few tips to help the Griswald in you from going
overboard.
-Go artificial. You can buy an artificial tree with the
lights already attached. Places like Wal-Mart and The Home
Depot will put a tree together for you. To spruce up a room,
use artificial wreaths, garland, poinsettias, and holly
branches. They won't need watering and won't drop needles,
which saves time on maintenance and clean-up.
- For many people, going artificial is almost sacrilegious.
If you must have a live tree, take the stand with you. Ask
the handler to set the tree in the stand then load and go.
-Lay on lights. If you're lighting the outside, use the ones
that lay like a blanket and drape them over bushes and
trees.
- Better yet, check your local paper for people advertising
to string your lights for a fee. This service is becoming
quite popular as time becomes more valuable. If you can't
find a company to string your lights, hire a neighborhood
boy or girl to do the job.
-Hang together. If you're having a get-together, ask
everyone to bring a decoration for the tree. The tree will
be trimmed in no time.
-Seek simplicity. Go minimalist. Try a grouping of candles
at different lengths. Switch your regular couch pillows with
holiday ones.Ways To Work In Your Workout: Between stuffing
the bird and trimming the tree, life gets a bit busy during
the holiday season. Don't let the holiday crunch take its
effect on your exercise regime. Your workouts will help burn
the extra calories you will most likely consume and it will
also help ward off the seasonal depression and stress. Here
are a few ways to get your exercise in;
- Take three 10-minute workouts during the day instead of
trying to chisel out a full 30 minute workout. A 2004 study
published in "Medicine & Science in Sports" showed that
three 10-minute runs during the day actually resulted in
more total calories burned than a single 30-minute run.
-Exercise with a friend. If you exercise with a friend,
you're more likely not to break your commitment. Use the
time to catch up, vent, release stress.
-Walk during your child's sport event. Walking around the
gym or field during your child's sports practice or event
will help you burn more calories than sitting on the
bleachers.
-Don't park near the door. Whether it's at home or the mall,
parking further away can help. Those additional steps do add
up during a day of shopping. Managing the Diet During the
Holidays: Avoiding high calorie holiday foods is often
difficult. But don't have post-holiday regret by overeating
now. Follow these simple guidelines to avoid temptation.
-Set sensible goals. Set a realistic limit on how much you
will eat and drink before you go out. Limit your visits to
the buffet table and how many items you'll get. Remember to
praise yourself afterward for keeping your promises.
-Eat in before you head out. Eating a healthy meal before
you leave home for a holiday party will prevent you from
overeating. You'll also be able to focus on family and
friends.
-Don't mingle near food trays. Try to stay away from tables
loaded with hors d'oeuvres or candies and snacks.
-Bring your own. See if you can bring a veggie tray or
something else nutritious for you to snack on.
-Inform gift-givers. Let family and friends know that you do
not want food as a gift. If they ignore your wishes, you can
always give the foods to a homeless shelter.
-Just say "No." It may be difficult to do, but if the host
offers you seconds, politely but simply decline their offer.
-Remove food altogether. Instead of meeting friends and
family at a home, try getting together at a holiday concert,
theatre, museum, or sporting event. Shop Smart to Relieve
Holiday Stress: Instead of walking aimlessly from store to
store, follow these do's and don'ts so gift browsing doesn't
lose its luster.
-Do browse at home. Visit Web sites or review catalogs of
your favorite stores. Make a list of items you want to
purchase, call ahead to see if the item is in stock, and
have the salesperson hold it for you. Better yet, order by
phone or online and save yourself a trip.
-Do map it out. If you are going to numerous stores, set a
course of action and stick to it. List where you need to go
and what items you need for each store.
-Don't procrastinate. Joining the mayhem of Christmas
shoppers between Dec. 10 and Christmas Eve will only add to
your stress, and you'll probably spend a lot of time on your
feet in long lines. You should plan ahead, start early, and
shop at a leisurely pace. Stores are less crowded early or
late on weekdays.
-Don't shop the mall. Scarce parking spots and long lines
can make the mall a very stressful and unfriendly place. Try
to visit main street style shops or open air shopping areas.
Parking is usually plentiful, you can visit multiple shops,
and you can get some fresh air in between.
-Don't lose your cool. Don't beat yourself up if you can't
find exactly what you are looking for. Remember, it's the
thought that counts.
Managing Mealtime: Although a home-cooked meal is probably a
tradition at your home, long hours over a hot stove can take
its toll. Cut down on cooking time and holiday stress by
starting a few new traditions.
-Offer a buffet. Why lug all the dishes from the kitchen to
the table? Make it a buffet. Line up plates, food, then
utensils and napkins. Your guests will enjoy not having to
mess with utensils while filling up their plates.
-Make it a potluck. Why do you have to do all the cooking?
Ask friends and family if they can bring a certain dish to
share.
-Go disposable. Washing dishes doesn't have to be part of
the tradition. Use disposable and inexpensive cooking tins.
Dixie's Stoneware even offers decorative dining plates and
bowls.
-Order out. Leave food preparation to someone else. Local
caterers and grocery stores can provide dishes or entire
meals.
Go Online For Gifts This Holiday Season: This year, shop in
your underwear to sidestep holiday stress. Shopping on the
Web saves time and energy that's traditionally spent
schlepping from store to store. It's never been easier to
find a rare collectible or a sweet sentiment to send to
someone over the holidays. Online gift guides and Web-based
catalogs provide a clearing-house of gifts that allow you to
bookmark a gift idea to come back to later. This further
simplifies online searches and purchases. Comparison
shopping is much easier online too so aside from saving
time, you may also save money by hitting the Web instead of
hitting the mall.
Finally, just remember to do what you can to prevent stress
from wrecking your holidays. Remember to stop and rest,
especially at the first sign that you've overdone it. Be
sure to enlist help if needed. Taking time to relax, whether
it's listening to music or soaking in a hot tub, will help
you better cope with the holidays. And above all, have a
happy, healthful and blessed holiday season.
Jeannine Virtue is a freelance writer and mother of an
Attention Deficit teen.
Visit the Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center at
http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com
for information about safe
and effective
alternatives to Ritalin, Adderall or other ADHD medications.
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