The festive period is often a time for getting together with family and friends, to enjoy their company, exchange presents and have a good time. But for many, this time of year can also be the most stressful for all manner of reasons. Stress can affect us in a variety of ways including not being able to think clearly, lack of sleep, weight-loss, constant butterflies, and nausea. Sometimes we don’t even appreciate we’re stressed until perhaps something happens and we realise we are struggling to cope. So we have put together a few insights and tips to help ease the burden, which hopefully means you can enjoy the upcoming festivities.
Set a budget...and stick to it Decide how much you can spend at Christmas and stick to it. If you can, start saving money in advance, perhaps by cutting back a little in other areas – do you really need all those take away coffees, can you forgo a couple of trips to the nail salon, can you have your friends round to the house instead of going to the pub? A great idea is to agree and set a spending limit for family and friends so that you don’t feel obliged to overspend. Or perhaps set up a Secret Santa – that way everyone only has to buy one gift and everyone receives one. And make sure you keep track of your expenses so you don’t overspend.
Plan ahead and save the panic Think about the meals you might be preparing for guests – what could you make in advance and freeze so save yourself hassle in the days leading up to the big day. Start thinking about gifts early and create a gift list. You can also look for early sales or buy gift sets and split them up into smaller presents. If you send Christmas cards, work out your list in advance and buy them early – you only need to write a few a week over a number of weeks, instead of all of them all at once, which certainly saves a lot of stress. And if you write them early, you can catch the second class post – or even better, are there groups in your area who might deliver local cards for free?
Lower your expectations Remember, what you see in on social media isn’t real, the content is deliberately and carefully curated to show only one side of the story. Be realistic about your festive expectations - do you really need Christmas pjs or an elf on the shelf? Must you really hunt for this year’s must-have gift? The thought behind a gift is more important than the cost of the gift. Consider cooking a treat or crafting a gift or perhaps offering your talents or time to your loved ones – such thoughtfulness goes a long way. Do you really need a whirlwind few days visiting or hosting every single member of your family and friends? Think about what will work for you, perhaps alternating vising days and quieter days at home, sharing the hosting and travel arrangements.
Relax and make time for yourself Self care is an important part of maintaining good mental health. Take care of your body by eating well, maintain a consistent bedtime and wake up time and exercising regularly – it doesn’t have to be an organised sport, a brief walk in the fresh air often does the world of good. Nurture relationships with friends and loved ones and engage in activities that bring you joy – being sociable is such an important element of our human condition. And look after your mind. Take some time to understand your needs, emotions and triggers, as increasing awareness of all these things will help you identify the things that could be causing you stress.
And finally...talk about how you are feeling A problem shared...really is a problem halved. Because most times, you will find that whilst you may initially feel alone, you are not – lots of other people are feeling exactly the same. Try and talk to someone you trust and who offers support rather than judgment, perhaps a friend, a relative or even someone you might be close to at work or within your wider network. Choose the right time and place to do this – perhaps over a dog walk, a park bench chat, perhaps over a coffee in a quiet coffee shop corner. Talking things through is really powerful and whilst you might start feeling anxious, you may often surprise yourself that the answers you are seeking are in fact within you – and within your grasp.
We are here to help CERT is running a session on How to cope over the Festive period on Thursday 5 December from 1-3pm at CERT’s offices in Alloa. To register your interest, please click here.
CERT offers lots of practical support to residents of Clacks. If you are interested in finding out more about how we can help you, please visit our website.