The holiday season can bring a sense of excitement mixed in with a sense of dread. If you find yourself more stressed than you would like to be during the holiday season, you’re not alone.

All of the baking and entertaining, shopping and wrapping and relatives, we don’t often see (sometimes for good reason), and holiday cards can add up to a schedule packed with extra work and stress.

The great thing about holiday stress is that it is predictable. Unlike many other types of negative stress we encounter in life, we know when holiday stress will begin and end, and we can make plans to reduce the amount of stress that we experience and the negative impact it has on us.

Here are some tips you can try to help reduce holiday stress before it begins.
1. Set your priorities. Before you get overwhelmed by too many activities, it is useful to decide what traditions and activities are most important and most enjoyable to you and your family.
Then you can eliminate extra activities that are not as important and bring more stress than enjoyment.

2. Simplify. It is ok to cut corners! If the idea is to skipping out on some of the stuff that usually overwhelms you, you may do better including all of these activities in your schedule, but on a smaller scale.

For example, you can decide to send cards without including a personal note in each one and serve baked goods from the bakery to your guests.
3. Plan your time. Start thinking about how much time you want to spend with relatives vs. just with your family, and be protective of your time. Too much togetherness can get overwhelming.

Writing everything down in a calendar can help you see realistically what can be done.

4. Keep some time for yourself. Simply taking a few deep breaths can help your body and mind relax. If you can, go for a walk each day, exercise is great outlet for stress and excellent way to recharge your batteries.
With some planning and limit setting, the holiday season can be happy and merry. Enjoy this holiday season!

Rachel Lefebvre, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist specializing in stress management and mind/body medicine. She completed training at Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School and at the Domar Center for Complementary Medicine in Boston. For more information call 321-536-1724 or visit www.girlfriendshealth.com

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