Why do we allow ourselves to become so overwhelmed and stressed during the holiday season?
We should be enjoying all the sights and sounds of the season and special times with family and friends. Yet, so many of us find ourselves wishing the month would just come to an end.
I know my holiday schedule gets crazy, with the busyness beginning the weekend before Thanksgiving. Before I know it, every weekend for next five weeks are scheduled with various functions. And that’s not counting what gets scheduled during the week. And you know what? I love every minute of it, but I despair at the fact that I’m always rushing through each moment heading toward the next activity. The perfect prescription for holiday stress.
Do you ever feel like there is no end and the days just go by in a blur of activity and emotions?
Here are five tips to face the holidays with less stress and more enjoyment…
Schedule Daily Down-Time. I know, your day is full, but this is important if you want to come out on the other side of the holidays sane and healthy. Just add a 10 minute session of meditation to your daily routine.
This is a quiet time that you choose to do something that brings your emotions back into balance. Quiet Contemplation, aromatherapy, music therapy or reading a good book are all stress relievers. Whatever calms your mind and takes you to your “happy place”. Take a 10 minute break no less than once a day. Make a daily appointment with yourself and stick with it.
De-Clutter Your Environment. Clutter kills productivity, and unconsciously causes your brain to stress out. Your brain automatically tries to deal with every bit of sensory input you receive. This means that the things you see, touch, hear, smell and taste all have to be dealt with by your brain. When you have too much input coming in, especially when it is unnecessary, this clutter creates anxiety and stress. Look around your home or your office and clear out the clutter.
Delegate Tasks. This is where I fail miserably. I’m a “I’ll do it myself” kind-of person and I have to intentionally give tasks to others. If you are this type of person – stop believing that you’re the only one who can do the task.
The reason why you feel so stressed and overwhelmed is that you are attempting to do too much. Let someone else help and you enjoy the season. And don’t fret that it didn’t get done just like you would have done it, let it go.
What Makes You Smile? Using visual cues often brings a smile to your face. When you’re beginning to feel overwhelmed and stressed, look at happy pictures of the ones you love. These visual cues make you feel good and are simple stress-relievers that can keep you from giving into the feeling of being overwhelmed.
My wallpaper on my phone is a picture of my grandchildren, I smile every time I see them. Such a great stress reliever.
Essential Oils for stress. This is one of the easiest methods to relieve stress and anxiety when the day becomes overwhelmed with too much to do. Not only do essential oils relieve your stress, they also give your body an emotional overhaul.
Mix a blend of stress relieving oils and carry a roller-ball bottle with you during the day. As your stress increases, grab your oil and rub some on the back of your neck, behind your ears, on the inside of your arms. You can just inhale straight from the bottle a few times to get relief. I keep a bottle in my purse at all times.
Aromatherapy is another wonderful way to use essential oils. Put a few drops in the water, turn your diffuser on and allow the air to be filled with the relaxing aroma of the oils.
Here are a couple of my go-to blends for stress relief:
Diffuser Blend:
3 drops of Lavender
2 drops Roman Chamomile
2 drops Ylang Ylang
Roller-ball Blend:
1 oz. carrier oil (I use Jojoba oil)
2 drops Lemon
2 drops Wild Orange
2 drops Bergamot
The holiday season will always be busy, but you don’t have to be overwhelmed with stress. Take action today and enjoy this holiday season.
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