Handling Holiday Stress-Ten Tips For Singles
By Toni Coleman
Here we go again. Presents to buy, work to finish up,
cards to write, plans to make, events and parties to
attend: and all those things we "must do" because we’ve
always done them.
Does this sound familiar? Do you go to sleep at night with
the feeling that you are hopelessly behind schedule, yet
have made good use (overuse) of your time? Do you
experience even a small measure of dread as you
approach this season, and a large measure of relief when
it’s all over? Most importantly, are you savoring any of
the lovely sights, sounds, smells and feelings that are
unique to this time of year; or are you just too tired and
rushed to even notice? If this describes you, you are
probably suffering from holiday stress. Compounding this
is the widely held belief that this is just the way it has to
be, and that your task is to just get through it.
The following tips are designed to give you a new
perspective on this all too common problem. Read on,
and see if you can make some small behavior
changes/additions that could result in a lot less stress and
a lot more enjoyment in the weeks ahead.
If you have a fairly sizeable family/extended
family to shop for, your level of monetary,
time and emotional stress can be very high.
Therefore, consider approaching your
family about your present tradition of gift
exchanging. Growing in popularity is the
system of drawing one name (of one family
member) to buy a nice gift for. Everyone in
the family receives one gift that another
member had the time (and budget) to
choose well. If your family is resistant, you
could opt for two gifts per person, or some
other compromise.
Try a new tradition of having a shopping day
with friends (or family). Draw up
your list, head for a nice mall or town center with
great little shops (even better)
and make it a day of shopping, lunch and lattes.
You could finish with a late
afternoon movie!
Consider on-line shopping. This is a great
way to save time and get free gift-wrapping
without the lines and headaches. It also
allows more time for you to choose just the
right gift for each person. You can have
them mailed to you or sent to whatever
address they will eventually be going to.
If you send cards, consider after Christmas
cards or New Year’s cards. Why rush to
send them before Christmas? The folks
who receive them will have more time to
focus on your news after Christmas, and
may even find it more fun to receive
something in the mail during the quiet "let
down" period that follows each holiday.
Try to plan a few extra days off right before
or during the December-January holidays.
Even one extra day could be useful to pack,
get an early start on travel, finish up last
minute chores or errands, or catch up on
sleep and R&R. We often mistakenly
assume we will feel more rushed and behind
if we take down time- the reverse is actually
what occurs.
Do an inventory of your must-do. After you
make your list, go through each one and ask
yourself is this activity really gives you
pleasure or serves your needs or the needs
of a loved one. Cross off any that don’t
answer yes to the above question. Make
sure you are not doing things out of rote
because that’s the way it has always been.
If you have one or two you are unsure of,
put them at the end of your list of priorities.
This way, you can get to them if you have
time after you have done the things you
know will be of value to you.
Consider having a cleaning service come in
at least once during the next month. Imagine
the extra time (and lowered stress) you
would have if someone else cleaned your
bathroom and kitchen, washed your floors,
dusted your furniture, etc. What a nice gift to
give yourself!
Arrange to have a massage, facial, manicure
or other spa treatment. These are wonderful
stress relievers. They are especially nice late
in the day at the end of a hectic few days.
Afterwards, you can go out for a quiet meal
or go home and get some things done and
then get a restful night’s sleep.
Make sure you are doing some kind of
regular exercise. This should be part of your
life 52 weeks of the year. However, during
high stress periods, it is more important. It is
a fact that exercise increases energy and
positive self-esteem and decreases
depression. It is also a way to improve sleep
and keep your weight in check.
Try to get some extra sleep. You will
probably have to begin decompressing a
little sooner than usual on those nights.
Don’t eat dinner too late, or eat anything
too heavy. Avoid alcohol those nights. Get
ready for bed and lie down with a good
book or in front of a favorite show. If you
exercised earlier, this will help you to be
more relaxed and ready to sleep. Even one
hour three times a week will make a
difference in your mood and energy level.
Read these suggestions over carefully and consider
which ones might be useful to you. After you have
begun to implement them; take a deep breath, sit
back, and drink in some of the lovely sights,
sounds and smells of this cherished season.
Toni Coleman
Helping Singles Find Lasting Love
www.consum-mate.com
Toni@consum-mate.com