The holiday season demands us to be cheery, enthusiastic, and festive, but “the most glorious time of the year” can sometimes be the most demanding. Our mind and body’s response to the overwhelming obligations and demands of our lifestyles is holiday stress (or any context in which stress occurs for that matter). It really is a continuous determination on daily basis to resist the urge to let stress make your decisions. The trick is to be thoughtful, deliberate, prepare ahead, and adopt smart choices.

The holidays might as well be a huge cause of stress due to a plethora of factors. For some, these holidays and festivities bring with them unrealistic impressions. The holidays have morphed into a commercial affair. In all other words, there is a lot of expectation to spend a fortune and buy exquisite presents, engage more time with loved ones, and arrange a delicious meal.

How can we avoid stress during the holidays?

Prepare ahead of time: Last-minute planning and preparations, travel changes, and an ongoing to-do list are more than enough to drive anyone anxious. Prepare as much in advance, for the holidays, as possible. Decide whether you’ll be visiting or inviting your folks. Is there a travel plan in place for everyone? Is there anything you’d like to know about the holidays? Confirm vacation plans with family or friends, and be sure you know when and where you’ll be visiting, as this time of year is renowned for travel turmoil.

Visualize the Holidays you want to have in your head: Have a clear plan in your head before starting your holidays so you already know what you will be doing, when you will be doing it, and who you are going to do it with.

Define your limits: You get to choose about all the plans like where you want to go, how long you will be staying there, who you will be welcoming into your home, and how much money you spend over the holidays. No one else gets to decide about you and your way of spending your vacations and holidays.

Make a reasonable budget: Calculate and analyze the total amount of money you have allocated for this holiday season. Food, décor, travel expenses, and gifts should all be considered while planning. Remember that the concept of holidays is not all about exchanging gifts. They are about making everlasting recollections with your dear ones and spending time with them is are far more memorable than receiving a gift from them.

Spend less time on social media: Others frequently send pictures of sumptuous feasts, extravagant gatherings and celebrations, and lavish presents. Even minor insights into the lives of other people can trick us and make us feel more stressed.

Filter the invitations you receive: Appreciate and acknowledge holiday invitations to events you’re truly looking forward to. Respectfully refuse the ones that stress you out.

Keep notes for the next upcoming holidays: Make a journal with all your important holiday recipes along with the budget plan you have had this year. Make sure you enter all the highlights of your holidays in it as this will be really helpful next year to know what you did and why you did it this year.

Stress has become a component of modern-day living, and somehow it might be beneficial to our existence. But if we don’t adapt to it and act appropriately, it will quickly transform into worry and anxiety. We just have to do our best to be cordial and compassionate to ourselves and those we love. Accepting that you won’t always be able to control some parts of these situations allows you to concentrate on taking action. To reduce the negative effects of stress on your mental and physical health, learn to live a balanced lifestyle and, if necessary, seek help from loved ones or health professionals.