Thanksgiving has passed and the calendar has us all looking towards the next holiday. Any way you celebrate, you are most likely looking at a few weeks of planning, shopping, cooking, and visiting family. While all these activities may bring initial joy, holiday stress can easily creep in. According to a poll conducted by verywellmind.com, more than 80% of us find the holiday season to be ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ stressful. After the last few years of lockdown these activities may feel overwhelming, are you prepared mentally and emotionally to take on these tasks? We have some excellent tips to combat the financial, physical, and mental strain that the holidays sometimes extract on you. 

Financial

The holidays are advertised heavily as a spending spree. There are constant commercials, billboards, and flyer reminders. Do not let this put pressure on your individual household budgeting. Unfortunately, many fall victim to the societal pressures to “go overboard”. The installment loan provider Affirm discovered in a new survey that 70% of Americans typically go over budget during the holidays. Stay on the budget to alleviate your holiday stress:

-Create a budget before you begin shopping

-Send presents early via mail to avoid overnight price hikes

-Buy food in bulk to save on several grocery store trips

-Keep your tank at least half-full to get the most from your mileage

-Unsubscribe from email newsletter advertising prompting you to buy now

-Sign up for a variable rate from a trusted natural gas provider

Physical

Your physical health is important when it comes to the holidays, without your health, you won’t be able to do all of these tasks! The holidays often promote overeating, heavy drinking, and generally poor health. Unfortunately, while we celebrate, we tend to throw moderation to the wind. We pay heavily for it, and while the holidays occur, the weather is usually colder and harsher, causing us to be susceptible to sickness. This is why New Year’s resolutions are so popular, falling off the proverbial wagon the last few weeks of the year. Instead of waiting for the new year try to:

-Make time to stick to physical activity

-Aim for 30 minutes of elevated heart activity a day

-Look for free streaming videos online while traveling

-Try to eat balanced meals, adding protein, healthy fats, and vegetables even while out celebrating. These help to balance out the blood sugar spikes associated with eating those sugar-rich desserts

-Combat acid reflux with chamomile, licorice, slippery elm, and marshmallow teas

Mental

While the holidays are about family time and making good memories, it can actually cause undue stress on your emotional state. A large contributor to this negative mental state can actually be SAD, a seasonal affective disorder. With less sunshine, comes decreased vitamin D. To keep yourself stable, steady, and happy, try these tips:

-Use scents to lighten your mood. Essential oils, candles, and incense can help alleviate mental stress. Try lavender, bergamot, lemongrass, and orange. 

-Journal. Writing down goals, fears, and even dreams are proven to help see your problems more clearly and tackle them head-on. 

-Try grounding. A mindfulness exercise that uses the five senses to help you feel more present. When your mind is full of to-dos, try this practice. 

Holiday stress may feel unavoidable but with these tips to tackle mind, body, and budget, you should stay in the green and enjoy more of your holiday season!