Tuesday, December 17, 2013

7 Tips to a Stress Free Holiday

Christmas is a week away, so here are a few tips from our friend John Sovec, Therapy and Counseling that will help you to have the most stress free holiday ever!  Merry Christmas!

 
7 Tips to a Stress Free Holiday
 
From John Sovec, Therapy and Counseling
Every year we promise ourselves it's going to be different.  This year I will have a fun holiday filled with peace and happy moments. And then the holiday rat race begins: filled with parties, shopping, feasting, high expectations and anticipation of how the holidays should be. And when those expectations aren't met, we stress out!
So this year, it’s time to do things a little differently. These seven tips will help you to have a stress free holiday filled with joy and laughter
1. One thing at a time. This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress, and you can start today. Right now. Focus as much as possible on doing one thing at a time.  Do only that. Remove distractions. This takes practice, and you’ll get urges to do other things. Just keep practicing and you’ll get better at it.
2. Simplify your schedule. A hectic holiday schedule is a major cause of high stress. Simplify by reducing the number of commitments in your life to just the essential ones. Learn to say no to the rest. Leave room for down time and fun.
3. Get moving. Do something each day to be active — walk, hike, play a sport, go for a run, do yoga. It doesn’t have to be grueling to reduce stress. Just move. Have fun doing it.
4. Do something calming. What do you enjoy that calms you down? Reading a book? Meditating? Having a cup of tea? Find your calming activity and try to do it each day. If possible stay away from TV as your calming time since it actually places the body under stress.
5. Have a blast! Have fun each day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Whatever you choose, be sure to laugh. A little laughter every day helps make things less overwhelming and also releases calming chemicals into your body.
6. Be early. It’s hard to be early when you have many holiday commitments, but being late can be very stressful. Try to leave earlier by getting ready earlier, or by scheduling more space between events. During the holidays things always take longer than normal, so schedule some buffer time: extra time to get ready, to commute, to shop, and to cook. If you get somewhere early, take that time to do you calming activity.
7. Eat and drink sensibly, and get plenty of exercise and sleep. For most people, the holidays go hand in hand with too much fat, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, and not nearly enough sleep and exercise. One of the easiest and most straightforward ways to combat holiday stress is to pay better attention to your body’s need for healthy food, exercise, and sleep during this intense time of year.
Using these simple tips you can make for a stress free holiday and enjoy all the season has to offer.
To learn more about  releasing stress and anxiety all year long visit www.JohnSovec.com

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