Though it’s been dubbed the “most wonderful time of the year” it has proven to also be one of the most mentally and emotionally tasking times of the year.
Navigating the holiday season isn’t always a walk in the park, especially during a persistent pandemic. However, there are ways that you can make life easier during the holidays and protect your mental health. Those few ways are:
- Ask for Help
- Set Realistic Expectations
- Take the Pressure Off
Ask for Help
When planning holiday gatherings, going gift shopping, getting dinner arrangements made or whatever your holiday checklist consists of, ask for help. Shouldering the mental burden of being the person in charge of making all the decisions can be overwhelming, causing mental strain, fatigue and possibly health challenges.
Set Realistic Expectations
Many people throughout the holiday season are conditioned by routine to do everything for and be everything to everyone. The best gift giver, the cook, the entertainer, etc. This year preserve your mental health and wear less hats. How do you do that? Set realistic expectations. Let people know, “Hey, this year I am going to be responsible for dinner and that is it.” Create boundaries for yourself so you don’t overwhelm yourself and communicate those boundaries to other people so they know what to expect and will not put on you more than you comfortable with.
Take the Pressure Off
At the end of the day, the holiday season, as fun as it is, is really just a day or a few days that come around each year. You have every right to decide, “this year I need a break” or “this year, I want to rest during the holidays”. Your mental health is most important and when you begin to feel pressure and anxiety around the holidays its time to make some changes. Take the pressure off yourself this holiday season and put your mental health back at the forefront.
