The holiday season is the happiest time of the year. But it can bring loads of stress as well. Festive spending can disrupt your budget and cause money anxiety. Likewise, tight schedules, wrong diet, and late nights can affect sleep and mental health. Winter blues can make the entire situation even worse. Not surprisingly, even the happiest people tend to feel low at some point during the holidays. But you can do your bit to prevent stress and depression and ensure a good time with family and friends. Here are expert-backed tips that can help you cope with the holiday blues.
Be realistic
The festive season often brings unrealistic expectations as you want to do more than you can. You will probably want to have the best decor, parties, and gifts for your loved ones. But unrealistic expectations can make you anxious and restless. Being grounded helps, so make sure you aim for happiness instead of perfection. You can even rethink rituals and traditions if they seem to press you too hard. Discuss the concern with your loved ones, and they will be happy to cooperate.
Stick to a budget
Financial woes shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the festive season. All you need to do is create a budget and stick with it from start to end. Involve your partner and family in the budgeting process to make it a breeze. Small savings can take you a long way. For example, you can cook at home instead of dining out or give homemade gifts. Start a new tradition that makes you happy and saves money.
Invest in self-care
Investing in self-care is another good way to avoid feeling low in the holiday season. Begin by eating right and focusing on healthy foods and moderate portions. You can try real vitamins to supplement your diet for mental health. Stay regular with your fitness routine and get enough sleep and rest. A little effort with self-care makes Christmas more enjoyable as you are at your healthiest best.
Reach out
Isolation and social distancing are the most daunting challenges in the new normal. You can expect to feel low and lonely when you cannot visit loved ones or have them over at your place. But the good thing is that you can reach out and connect on video calls. Plan a virtual get-together if you cannot travel this season. Seeking community support is a good idea, and so is volunteering at a local church.
Take a breather
Holidays often bring a heavy workload as you have shopping to do, parties to plan, and gifts
to wrap. The to-do lists seem to be endless, and baking and decorating keep you busy until the last moment. But make sure you take a breather amid the holiday rush. Spend time alone and relax to steer clear of the holiday blues. You can ask your partner to give you a back rub at the end of the day. Get back to work only after recharging your energy.
It is natural to feel low in the holiday season, but everything boils down to taking control over time and workload. Follow these pieces of advice to go the extra mile with wellness.
