How to Handle Holiday Stress (Like a Boss)

And there’ll be gifting to budget, cookies burning in the oven, and lights that just won’t seem to glow.

It’s the most stressful time of the year.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loooove the holidays. Eating turkey and stuffing (or chicken wings if you’re my family on Christmas Eve), watching spectacularly awful made-for-TV movies, looking at glittering light displays, seeing the smiles on my families faces when they unwrap presents…it’s seriously magical.

But it’s still seriously nerve-wracking. Untangling miles of Christmas lights and trying to figure out why they won’t friggin’ turn on, watching the weather channel and praying that predicted ice storm magically evaporates, trying to buy gifts for everybody without breaking the bank, and trying to figure out which gift to buy for people who are impossible to shop for (*cough*Scott*cough).

It’s enough to make anyone pull their hair out.

But if you can survive the stress, it’s a time to create and cherish wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

And really, that’s what it’s all about.

So, if you’re trying to find a way to survive the season without scoring a vacation to a nice, padded, white room (and you’re desperate enough to take my advice), read on and enjoy my six tips for conquering stress during the holidays (or any time of the year).

1. You’ve got to move it, move it

Millions of scientists and healthcare professionals can’t be wrong. One of the best ways to manage stress is to exercise. That doesn’t mean you have to jump head-first into an intense workout program. It just means that you need to take a little time out of your week to get that heart rate up. Go for a nice long walk (for an added heartrate boost, take along a furry friend that tries to chase every bird, child, dog, or car they see), grab a friend and go try that new fitness class you’ve been meaning to check out, roll out that old yoga mat and move through s few simple flows, or just crank up the tunes and dance your way through your cleaning to-do list (not that I’m speaking from experience). Whatever brand of sweat inducing torture you enjoy the most, do it, and get those endorphins flowing.

2. Now, bring us some figgy pudding…and a nice apple

It’s no secret that one of the best things about the holidays is the food…casseroles, ham, mashed potatoes, pies, cookies, cakes, eggnog, spiked apple cider…YUM! But overindulging too much can take a serious toll on your body. There’s a lot of scientific mumbo-jumbo about what happens to the chemical balance in your body when you consume excess amounts of fat, sugar, and salt (you know, the stuff that makes food delicious), but it pretty much boils down to one point -eat too much junk food, and you will feel like crap. You don’t need to skip out on all that yummy food (because, seriously, what’s merry about that?), but try to add a little balance. If you know you’re going to a party or family gathering where there will be tons of tempting treats, maybe skip that burger for lunch. One of my favorite ways to easily sneak in necessary nutrients is by adding juicing into my diet (you can check out my tips on juicing here).

3. Sweep the floors and dust the mantle, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

This one may be more bothersome to some people (like me) and not a big deal to others (like my husband). If I’m already feeling stressed out, nothing grates on my nerves more than looking around my house and seeing dirt and clutter. There are some studies that suggest a cluttered living space increases stress levels but, again, it affects some people more than others (again, like my husband who is great at many things…but housekeeping ain’t one of them). But if you’re noticing that you feel stressed or irritated and you look around and see that your counters are covered in clutter, your kitchen table’s a little dusty, the sink still has last nights dinner plates in it, or the laundry hamper is overflowing…maybe give this one some thought. My two biggest pet peeves around the house are my kitchen and my floors (the latter thanks to the three fur-shedding, mud tracking, ornament-chewing babies that I love). Taking twenty minutes out of my day to wash the dishes, wipe down the counters, vacuum the floors, and take the trash out honestly helps keep me partially sane. Any time I’m feeling particularly stressed, I try to tackle any lingering cleaning and organizing that I’ve been putting off (like a couple of weeks ago when I re-organized the mountain of boxes we never unpacked and cleared out a space for our Christmas tree). Tackling these projects gives you a sense of accomplishment and productivity which can release all those nice feel-good chemicals in your body.

4. You should go and love yourself

Probably one of the biggest causes of stress is not taking care of yourself. Every day we’re running around just trying to keep up with the obligations from our jobs, our kids, our spouses, our pets…it’s no wonder our obligations to ourselves tend to fall to the wayside. Stop, take a moment to adjust your priorities, and find some time for a little me-time. Draw a bubble bath, put on that mud mask (you too, gentlemen), turn on your favorite radio station, turn off your phone, light a candle, and pamper yourself. Your job won’t fall out apart, the kids won’t die of neglect, and the world won’t end just because you took 30 minutes out of your busy schedule to indulge in some self-care. Give yourself permission to be a little selfish and focus on you for a little while.

5. Relax, don’t do it

It’s not just our normal, everyday lives that cause stress around this time of the year. Nope, around the holidays we get the added bonus of office parties, family gatherings, neighborhood block parties, parades, community events, etc. Which means this time of the year is the best time to learn to say “No”. Take a break, skip that party you were invited to by the co-worker you don’t really like anyway, and stay in for a change. Life is hectic enough as it is without trying to squeeze hundreds of social engagements in to a matter of weeks. So, say no, put on you favorite cuddly pajamas, and take a time out. Maybe a normal night in for you is popping some popcorn and watching a cheesy rom-com, or sipping a cup of tea and reading a new book…whatever it is, do it. Save your party-animal persona for the events you really don’t want to miss and don’t feel obligated to say “yes” to every invitation that comes your way.

6. Have yourself a merry little Christmas

There’s Christmas lights shining everywhere, children writing letters to Santa Claus, Christmas songs playing on the radio, neighbors helping those in need, cheesy movies that always have a happy ending, and time to spend with those who mean the most to you…it’s Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever happy holiday you celebrate). It’s a wonderful, joyous, magical time of the year. Take a step back to just enjoy it. Dr. Seuss said it best, “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more.”