Getting Through the Holidays: 12 Tips to Help You Cope and Avoid the Stress

Fall is the start of the major holiday season in many parts of the world and it can be a time of exhausting demands all around. Mother Nature is making drastic changes, kids are back in school and summer vacations are over. If you’re in a time zone where the clocks are set back an hour, this can add to the strain by interfering with sleep and schedules.

The pressure of planning and attending parties, entertaining guests, gift shopping, and the hassle of “what to wear” can all disrupt your daily routine - work, school, and family - and you may already be feeling the anxiety that often accompanies the holidays. The burden of trying to get it all done can have a serious impact on your health, so now is the time to take stock of what you want to accomplish and identify what you’ll need to do to make it through without getting overwhelmed.

Here are some tips to help you reduce or avoid these exhausting demands altogether, before everything kicks into high gear and the holiday frenzy begins.

1. Plan your travel itinerary now. Give yourself plenty of time to get the flights you want, arrange hotels or accommodations, and dig out your luggage. Don’t over pack. If you can manage with just a carry-on, you’ll have less to deal with.
2. Airport security will be a nightmare so give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, check in, and get through security lines. Plan for delays.
3. If you’re traveling by car, download entertainment for the kiddies and remember to bring earbuds, chargers and extra batteries. Figure out how you’re going to pack the car if you’re bringing a lot of gifts, and don’t forget the snacks.
4. Get your wardrobe in order. Figure out what you want to wear for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve. If you need to repair something, do it now. If you need to buy something, don’t wait until the last minute. You will likely find the racks have been well-picked through.
5. Buy tickets or make reservations now if you’re planning to eat out or attend an event.
6. Make lists for everything you need to buy and do any holiday shopping early, including gifts and menu ingredients.
7. Make as much food as you can ahead of time. If it’s freezable and will last a month, do it early.
8. If you plan to decorate, bring out the boxes and find what you need early. Lay everything out and put the boxes out of the way. That way you won’t be scrambling at the last minute trying to find the decorations you need.
9. If possible, don’t schedule doctors’ appointments for yourself or your family around the holidays. Other than that, keep you daily routine normal.
10. If it’s all too much, simply limit your holiday travel, party invitations, and gift giving. It’s that easy. You don’t need to do everything or buy everything.
11. It’s ok to sample a few goodies but don’t overindulge. That goes for alcohol and food, especially sweets. The guilt will only cause you more anxiety.
12. Most of all, think positively. However your holidays turn out, know that it’s people who make the party. When an unexpected challenge is thrown at you such as an extra unexpected guest, the cheesecake falling, or the dog getting into the Thanksgiving turkey, remember that the holidays are a time of celebration. Don’t let your stress response get triggered and you’ll cope just fine.