EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Make your holidays bright


When stress is at its peak, stop and regroup. These steps will help to reduce normal holiday stress and help you balance your life. Who knows, you may even end up enjoying your out-of- town relatives this year!
  • Seek support:
    Seek out mentors and coaches if you feel overwhelmed. Consider volunteering - helping others lifts your spirits and broadens your social circle. Also, enlist support for your own gatherings, including meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone!

  • Be realistic.
    As families grow, traditions change as well. Hold on to ones you can, but understand that some may no longer be possible.  Similarly, your organization’s pace right now may require changes in holiday traditions at work.  

  • Stick to a budget.
    Decide in advance how much you will spend on entertainment, gifts and other items, then stick to it. If you don't, you could feel tense afterward as you struggle to balance the budget. Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange. 

  • Plan ahead.
    Set aside specific timing for holiday activities. Also, allow extra time for travel so that delays won't worsen your stress.

  • Learn to say no.
    Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't make it.  If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

  • Don't abandon healthy habits.
    Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Maximize your performance at work and home during this period by maintaining a healthy diet and exercise.  

  • Take a breather.
    Make some time for yourself. Spend 15 minutes alone, without distractions, to refresh yourself. Steal away to a quiet place for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Anything to restore calm.

  • Rethink resolutions.
    Resolutions can set you up for failure if they're unrealistic. Don't resolve to change your whole life. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose those resolutions that help you feel valuable and provide more than just a fleeting moment of happiness.

  • Forget perfection.
    Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings, but in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour. You may get stuck at the office and miss your daughter's program, you may forget to put nuts in the cake, or your mother may criticize how you’re raising the kids. Expect and accept imperfections.
Source: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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