7 Amazing Tips To Avoid Holiday Stress This Season

It’s wintertime and everything is so beautiful! But do you think you’re taking on more than you can handle? If yes, here are 5 super helpful tips to avoid holiday stress, and raise your joy level.

Winter is an absolutely joyful season.

It brings with it the magic of holidays, food, and tons of happiness that can not be matched during other times of the year.

While merry feels and jingling bells are delightful to have around, holiday stress is also a real thing.

You might have too much on your plate, and that could lead to worrisome thoughts that have no business being in your life (especially this time of the year.)

If you find my words relatable, just know that it’s a normal emotion to go through, and you’re not alone in your worries.

But this absolutely does not mean you have to tolerate it.

Fortunately, just like everything else in life, holiday stress is something that can be dealt with. A little bit of planning, and loads of care can make all the difference.

This post is all about important tips to avoid holiday stress. Let’s start de-stressing. 🙂

7 TIPS TO AVOID HOLIDAY STRESS

1. Plan In Advance

A lot of stress that we deal with in our lives is a result of improper planning. It’s better to map out things with a clear mind, before the start of the holidays.

This can make a huge impact on how you handle stressful situations, and also minimize your chances of panicking over small things.

Lay out your budget plans in advance. Be realistic about your money goals, and don’t stress about having to spend more than you can afford to.

Gratitude can help you gain satisfaction with how far you can spread your hands during the holidays.

Happiness comes to those who look for it. And believe me when I say it – expensive gifts might bring momentary joy, but a stress-free mind is a way to find true contentment.

Be satisfied with whatever you plan, and then have a blast ticking off all the activities.

2. Do Not Miss Out On Self-Care

Looking for a magical solution to rid you of stress? Self-care might be just the right option for you.

It’s the perfect way to focus on your mental health, and take a much-needed break from your hectic schedule. And the best thing is that you don’t need hours to implement this trick.

Spare 20-30 minutes every day, and dedicate it to yourself. Call this period your ‘self-care time’. Recede to a quiet spot in the house, don’t allow anyone to interrupt, and take a few minutes to find your quiet and peace.

Engage in some blissful self-care activity to shake off your stressful vibes. Meditate, read, breathe, watch a sitcom, or journal your thoughts.

The more you practice self-care, the better you get at it. And over time this can become a mindful tool in your pocket to combat stress.

Need some inspiration? Check out 15 winter self-care ideas to make your day cozy!

3. Don’t Take On More Than You Can Handle

When there’s a ton of festival preparation to do, you might find yourself aiming higher. I mean, sure, we should try to top our game every year in everything, holidays included.

But if you find yourself in distress, chances are you need to take it down a notch. In short, stop trying to make everything perfect on your own.

You are not Santa, and you don’t have to pretend to be. Let’s leave the ‘out-of-this-world’ part to the greater beings.

Recommended: How To Calm Yourself Down

Your purpose for the holidays should be to care for your loved ones and let them treat you to the same care in return.

Holidays are supposed to be joint efforts on part of every family member. So, don’t hesitate to ask for help, and be comfortable with others handling some chores.

Divide your tasks beforehand. Let someone else be in charge of lights, and give another member the task of lugging groceries for the month.

In the end, even if things turn out to be imperfect, you’ll have a better appreciation for them because of the joint effort. A stress-free brain will definitely be a plus point. 😉

4. Prioritize Your Health

A healthy mind lives in a healthy body. We can’t hope to grow stress-free thoughts without nurturing our bodies.

No matter how hard your winter routine gets, you shouldn’t put your health on the backbench. It can prove to be costly in the future.

Your stress wouldn’t let you prioritize your health during the holidays, but it’s your duty to practice body care.

Feed yourself healthy and nutritious food. Make sure to add loads of seasonal fruits and vegetables to your diet. Consume healthy dairy, and cook at home rather than eating takeouts.

Find time to exercise among the holiday bustle, sleep well at night, and practice a ton of self-love to nurture a positive body image.

Don’t know how to care for your body during the cold season? Head over to my post for the best health tips for winter to keep yourself strong.

5. Have Fun With The Holidays

You might feel like you’re drowning under mountainous holiday tasks. But I am here to remind you that the purpose behind holidays is to have fun. Buckets and buckets load of fun!

It’s the one time in the year when you get to hibernate like a bear and turn into a child looking at bright and magical things.

In a true sense, the holidays are all about magic. You should allow yourself to feel it in its entire glory.

Try to squeeze out the maximum joy in everything you do this winter. Leave no table unturned in your purpose of finding happiness for yourself.

You deserve to have fun, and that pesky stress you’re holding on to can go chuck itself out the window.

These are the holiday activities I recommend you try for fun:

• Bake a cake (even if turns out to be a disaster)
• Build a snowman
• Go ice-skating!
• Gingerbread houses, perhaps?
• Get a Christmas tree from a farm
• Put up lights with your family

Hopefully, you’ll be able to tick off at least half of the activities in this life.

6. Be Grateful

I remember a time when I would just drift past life, too busy with my college and hectic schedule to actually appreciate the finer things in life. Looking back, it’s no wonder I was a walking stress ball back then.

What helped me slow down and breathe in, was the realization that I am blessed with things that sustain me. Basically, I finally wised up and started being grateful.

Gratitude is a powerful healing tool. It holds the key to finding the ultimate balance in life and is always recommended as an antidote for stress.

Answer these questions for me:

• During the holidays, how many days do you pause to take in your surroundings, and feel gratitude for what you have?
• Do you smile looking at your possessions and the people you’ve surrounded yourself with, and send a nod of thanks to the universe?
• Or do you find it hard to stop your worrisome thoughts long enough to let in gratitude?

If your assessment of these questions indicates a lack of gratitude, the holiday season is a perfect time to dive into it.

Nudge away your stressful thoughts by making a list of everything about winter that fulfills you. Whenever you feel anxiety slipping back in, glance at this list and allow yourself to breathe in gratitude.

7. Ponder Over New Year’s Resolutions

I bet you have some resolutions set in mind for the next year. How about spending a little fun energy in that direction, instead of letting stress drain you out?

New Year’s resolution can be exciting. They are symbolic of determination, and hope, and renew every person’s will for great personal achievements.

While all of that is good and all, it might be a wise idea to rethink your aims for next year. Resolutions that don’t go well with your inherent nature can cause setbacks and add to your stress.

Related Post: 21 Healthy New Year’s Resolutions For A Life-Changing Year

These are some questions you need to ask yourself while setting your resolutions:

• How many of your resolutions focus on your mental health?
• Have you added self-care to your list of things you want to get better at?
• Are you setting some goals under societal pressure? Which mindset would you rather adopt to pursue these goals?
• Do you have clear, gentle, and patient intentions? Are you making a point to go slow and not rush things?

Take your time to pause and reflect on these things. It’s important to keep your eye on the bigger picture and take your overall wellness into consideration.

Be realistic, be kind. The rest will take care of itself.

Make Your Merry Use Of These Tips To Avoid Holiday Stress

Plan your holidays in advance. It’ll help dodge stressful situations. Indulge in self-care, because it’s your birthright.

Don’t take on more than you can handle, instead ask for help and divide the chores. Take care of your health, and have fun during the holidays.

Practice gratitude to gain contentment, and set gentle intentions regarding your new year’s resolutions.

Alright, so that was a wrap for our tips to avoid holiday stress. I hope that was helpful. Wishing you happy holidays! Hope you stay merry and cheerful throughout the season. 🙂

What’s this holiday season turning out to be like for you? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve that can help us relax during the holidays? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you.