Tips to Manage Your Holiday Stress

As we close in on the Holidays you may start to feel your stress levels rise. This is not uncommon and you are not alone - holiday stress is a real thing! Many factors lead to people experiencing feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress during the holidays. Having unrealistic expectations, financial pressures and too many social commitments can all contribute to a huge holiday stress snowball.

At QOL we believe that the holidays are a time to be enjoyed without worry! You may feel that you are out of control when it comes to your stress level, but actually many of the holiday stressors are things that are within your control. Since excessive stress can wreak havoc on your health – we took it into our hands to create a guide to managing holiday stress. We hope you can put these anti-stress techniques into action this holiday season!

1. Take mental breaks – take short 5 minute mental vacations throughout the day. What do we mean by mental vacations? Glad you asked! Here’s how it’s done… close your eyes, take several deep breaths and meditate or just relax. Imagine yourself in a beautiful place, remember a happy memory, or visualize yourself accomplishing a cherished goal. You can do this at your desk, on your couch, or even in your car (when it’s parked of course). Take these 5 minute vacations whenever you start to feel stressed out, anxious, or overwhelmed.
2. Stay positive – don’t allow people to put their holiday stress on you. If your family or co-workers are expressing negativity or stress do your best to block it out. You can’t control other people’s feelings towards the holidays, but you can control whether or not they will have an effect on you. Try to look for the bright side – even if that means finding a way to enjoy waiting on those long lines while shopping or wrapping endless presents! Remember the holidays only come once a year – and before you know it, they will be a distant memory. Take the rough with the smooth and enjoy the ride!
3. Prepare – be as prepared as possible, create lists to organize yourself. Creating lists is such a great tool so take advantage of it. Create a “TO DO” list and a “TO BUY” list. Checking things off your list will help you feel like you are on track and accomplishing your various holiday tasks at a good pace. Try to get your gift shopping done as early as possible, and utilize tools such as online shopping – this can be a great way to shrink holiday stress. Online shopping will help you avoid waiting on long lines in packed stores which can be overwhelming, and you can price check to ensure you are getting the best deal on your purchases.
4. Manage expectations – have realistic expectations, if you strive for perfection you will only wreak havoc on your mental health. There is no such thing as the “perfect gift” or the “perfect holiday party.” Accept that and don’t stress if everything doesn’t go exactly as you planned.
5. Stay active – a great way to combat stress during the holidays is to exercise. If you are an avid exerciser throughout the year – do not neglect your exercise routine at this time! Maybe you don’t currently have an exercise routine? This is a great time to start one!
6. Stay healthy – the fear of catching a cold or a flu that could knock you out during the holidays can be stressful. Also, holiday parties are a breeding ground for sickness. Make sure to stock up on AHCC® - Kinoko Platinum, this all-natural immune support supplement is backed by over 30 human clinical studies and will help you to feel you best, even when you’re stressed.* AHCC® is sourced from a hybridized medicinal mushroom mycelia that significantly improves immune response. Take 2-4 vegicaps daily before meals to ensure that you are taking all possible precautions for staying healthy this holiday season!
7. Say “NO” – remember that you can say “NO.” You do not need to go to every holiday party or event that you are invited to. Saying no and scaling back on your festivities will make the events that you choose to go to more enjoyable. Spreading yourself too thin is a common holiday season trap that many of us fall into, but if you are conscious of this you can avoid unnecessary stress.