It is easy to allow yourself to believe that the holiday season will bring a moment of rest and relaxation. It is also easy to forget that the holidays are equally as stressful. Think about it. You have to do a long list of Christmas shopping. You also have to look into the holiday to do-list. Decorate the house. Make a holiday menu. Arrange the activities.
And the list goes on.
You also have to consider the time pressure to go out and buy all of these and face the wrath of long cashier lines. There’s also the holiday temper tantrums by the kids and relatives. Finally, the soaring prices of the bills is also to consider.
Just by looking at those, the list of concerns to face during the holidays is more than enough to make one extremely stressed out. This can be difficult to handle and worse, if you have a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
But don’t worry! There are ways to get around this problem.
One thing you can do to help minimize your holiday stress is to block out all the aggressive holiday promotions and advertisements. This would include radio, television and the internet. Yes, social media included. This is because this is one of the holidays in the year that companies would use to be extra convincing and manipulative when it comes to consumers. From sales to promotions, they will do everything just to get a buyer. Sometimes, you end up regretting buying these things and it adds up to your stress; most especially if you are hunting down that perfect gift. However, if you cannot do so right away, you can always filter these out.
Another thing you can do is to avoid the mall or any shopping-related place. These places are filled with temptations to purchase whether you need it or not, whether it is in your list or not. Plus, malls will be jam-packed with people and it can be overwhelming for those suffering with agoraphobia, panic or anxiety disorders. However, also take note that once the holidays come nearer, the more people will be there so it is also important that if you need to do your shopping, do it fast. But if you can, shop online. Do take in mind that you have to allow longer time for delivery or your items won’t arrive in time.
Finally, create a budget for shopping, to-do list and expenses. The number one reason why people are stressed during the Christmas holidays is because of money. The more the holidays get closer, the more people get anxious because they still can’t find the perfect gift or that the perfect gift is long gone. Here’s a tip: don’t buy it all. Why? As much as giving the perfect gift is awesome, always remember that it is the thought counts. Instead of giving them what they want, give them what they need like a certificate for a major pamper session or a planner. If your budget is not enough, you can always make homemade gifts.