Reduce Holiday Stress

As holiday decorations begin to appear, you may begin to feel the pressure: So much to do and so little time.

Women often assume responsibility for the extra tasks that surround the holidays, or their families may expect them to orchestrate the celebrations, says Lisa Streefland, an Essentia Health clinical psychologist who is part of the Duluth Clinic’s new Women’s Wellness team.

Women can find themselves so stressed that they can’t truly enjoy their time with family and friends or find the moments that make holidays memorable, she notes.

Streefland offers these tips to beat holiday stress:

• Set realistic goals and expectations.  Overzealous scheduling increases your stress and frustration.  Prioritize and try to plan ahead.
• Sleep! Be careful about staying up late finishing those “oh so important tasks.”  Adequate rest is important for your emotional and physical well-being.
• Assertively and graciously say no when you aren’t able to take something else on.  Ask for help when you need it.
• Reframe what is really important. Make sure you take the time to enjoy your family and friends.
• Acknowledge grief and losses. Find ways to remember those important to you during the holidays.
• Be cautious in your use of alcohol or other substances.  Added stressors increase your vulnerability to using them to self-medicate.

Lisa Streefland is a licensed Psychologist at Essentia Health.