Underneath the glistening tinsel, carefully wrapped gifts and turkey basting, Christmas can be the root cause of a lot of stress for many people. All the extra time we spend planning the ‘perfect Christmas’ on top of everyday life means there’s less time to look after yourself when you might need it the most. So we’ve put together our top tips on how to not let stress get the better of you during the Christmas build up.
Make a plan
Christmas can be overwhelming and the build-up a little chaotic, so sit down with a pen and paper (or your tablet) and make a list of everything you need to do before, during, and after the big day. To help you order your thoughts and keep on track, break down larger tasks into smaller ones write them in order of priority.
Remember, you’re not in this alone, you can ask for help from friends or family to tackle the list with you.
Mental resilience
We all need a bit of mental resilience, especially when things go wrong. So what can you do to help?
- Be more assertive – and don’t feel bad about saying no.
- Avoid difficult colleagues, family members, and acquaintances.
- Never take on more than you know you can cope with.
- Organise your time and always schedule time for you.
- Boost your immune system by eating plenty of vitamins and minerals. You can find more information on a healthy diet with the Eatwell Guide, or take a look at our Christmas survival guide on eating well.
- Drink water – the brain can only operate effectively if its cells are properly hydrated. So make sure you’re properly hydrated to improve your concentration, mood and to help you to cope better with stressful situations.
- Get your sleep – good quality sleep is the only way you can properly recharge your batteries, you can’t deal with stressful situations well if you’re ‘running on half empty’. Take a look at our Christmas survival guide on sleep to see how to best the best rest over Christmas.