The holiday season is not only upon us, it is now in high gear. Most of us feasted heavily last week with friends and family. Huge meals, extra portions, libations in excess and lots of "duff" building relaxation are hallmarks of Thanksgiving. Socializing with friends and family, we engaged in conversation from the mundane to the insightful and possibly sparked a few arguments. To wrap up our week, some of us indulged in some post-Thanksgiving shopping on "Black Friday" in preparation for holiday gift-giving.
The holiday season is full of joy for most of us, but it also brings us stress over finances, family issues, travel and health concerns. Here are some ways to keep your stress low this season and ring-in the new year in a healthy way with few regrets from the last month.
Ration your food intake. Over eating at holiday meals is common, but it leaves us uncomfortable in the gut and makes it difficult to get-out and exercise. Eat well and enjoy your meals, but don't overeat.
Indulging in holiday treats satisfies our taste buds, but does little to reduce our hunger. Consider healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables between meals and save the cookies and pies for desert. Exercise often. Exercise is proven to contribute to lower stress, more happiness, a better self-image and to increase our metabolism. A brisk walk or a jog for 20 minutes each day will help keep your spirits high and help work-off those extra calories we intake during this season. If possible, get outside for your exercise. Fresh air helps to clear your head. Schedule your exercise each day and keep to the program. This will help you get a head-start on your new years resolution of trimming the extra pounds and exercising daily.
Spend within your means and reduce credit card use. We are all tempted to fill the trees and stockings with tons of gifts for everyone. Giving does bring us joy. The healthy benefits of giving will be completely lost in the stress of financial concerns if we overspend beyond our means. Fewer, more thoughtful gifts this season will likely make the holiday more enjoyable and reduce your pre- and post-holiday stress level. Set a budget and stick to it. Make a list of gifts to purchase prior to setting out for the malls. Also limit the use of credit cards. Spending on credit increases the cost of the items being purchased if you can't pay the card off every month. Any savings you may have received on "Black Friday" will likely be lost on January 1st if you can't pay the balance of your credit cards.
Schedule time for yourself. Make yourself a priority this season by allocating as little as 10 minutes a day to satisfy your personal needs. Giving yourself a 10 minute to 30 minute break in the day on a regular basis, will help to reset your body-mind balance. Try this in the morning before your family wakes up, at your lunch time or before you transition from work to home in the evening. Schedule this time, let your loved ones know what you are doing and keep to the schedule.
Nap or meditate. Napping as little as 20 minutes has been shown to reduce stress and increase your energy. Meditating for 20 minutes can achieve the same results. If you have difficulty relaxing or settling yourself during the day, consider using a meditation audio program to help you relax. You will find that your energy level is much higher after your relaxation and you are better prepared to tackle your stresses.
Use vacation time. Don't tell your employer I told you to do this. Holidays are stressful. We have shopping to do, cards to write, gifts to wrap, decorations to get up, people to call, errands to run and a plethora of other things to do. There simply isn't enough time to do all of the things we would like to do. Schedule a day or two off of work to prepare yourself for the holiday. Schedule it in advance, so you can get your vacation time authorized and so that you have time to plan your time wisely. Don't waste the time watching Montel, but actually do the things you need to do. You will be better prepared for the holidays and less stressed about getting everything done.
Reduce multi-tasking. Trying to do too many things causes us to be forgetful and careless. Make a list of what needs to be done and stick to it.
Make your friend and family time valuable. If you've planned accordingly and stuck with your schedule, it goes without saying that you will be better able to enjoy your family time and more relaxed. But if you've forgotten something or haven't gotten everything done that you wanted to, then put it behind you and enjoy the moment. Remember that the holidays are for family and friends and that everything you've been doing since Halloween has brought you to this moment. Relax, feast and cherish the time you have together.
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