The Bright Side Blog

Surviving the Stress: How to Stay Sane During the Holidays

Surviving the Stress: How to Stay Sane During the Holidays

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - or is it? How to survive all the madness that the holidays can bring.

The holidays can bring joy and excitement, and be the perfect time to create fond memories with family and friends. However, they can also bring out a great deal of stress and anxiety. With holiday parties to attend, cookies to bake, and gifts to buy, the holidays can become quite overwhelming. 

Often, we find ourselves forgetting to step back and enjoy the happiness the holidays provide. We get too wrapped up in the busyness and find ourselves stressed out and unhappy. What can we do this holiday season to help alleviate some of these negative feelings? 

Plan Ahead and Respect Your Budget: 

You look at your calendar and realize Thanksgiving is under two weeks away! You decide it’s time to start planning your holiday shopping. You sit down and write out your list of everyone you are going to buy for. When you total it up, you realize buying all of those gifts is way out of your budget and panic ensues. Are you stressed out just reading this? Us too. 

Relax and take a deep breath! If you do not have the budget to buy elaborate gifts for everyone, consider something handmade. You can be a glorious gift giver by making something sentimental that does not break the bank. Good Housekeeping lists 60 DIY Christmas Gifts that will be sure to bring a smile to everyone’s faces.

If there are gifts you absolutely have to buy, remember, the steepest discounts are just around the corner on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Retail Me Not lists The Best and Worst Things to Buy on Black Friday. Electronics, appliances and winter wear top the list.

Keeping to your set budget and your list is very important. It’s very easy to go shopping and end up overbuying. If you have trouble sticking to your budget, try the envelope method during the holidays. Withdraw the amount of money that you are planning to spend and place the cash in an envelope. Once the cash is gone, you have spent your budget. This will help you properly allocate your money to cover your entire list, without overspending.   

Also, when purchasing items, make sure there is an extended return policy for the holidays. This will help in the case that you overbuy and need to return items, or if your recipient needs to make a return or an exchange. 

Next year, try starting your holiday budgeting at the beginning of the year. Take a look at what you spent the last holiday season and begin saving your paycheck little by little. When it comes time to create your list, you will feel at ease knowing that you will be able to shop for everyone without panic.

If you’re looking for a gift the entire family will love, check out The MYX home studio. The MYX offers a variety of workout sessions from the comfort of your own home! With commercial grade equipment and classes for all levels, you’ll be well on your way to a healthy New Year. MYX focuses on wellness for the body as well as the mind using positive psychology, heart rate zone training, and total body-cross training. The MYX starts at only $34/month! Talk about a major bang for your buck.

The MYX is shipping in January of 2020 but all holiday purchasers will receive a special gift in the mail to arrive before the holidays. It’s perfect for gifting and a great way to get your family excited for their new fitness equipment arriving soon.

Learn to Say No: 

There are so many events that take place during the holiday season that it’s practically impossible to get to all of them. However, many of us feel guilty for not attending every single event we are invited to, even if it’s something we are not interested in. 

This year, try saying no to events that do not excite you or that you simply do not have enough time for. You will find yourself enjoying the holiday season much more if you attend events that you are looking forward to, but also make time for yourself. 

If you are someone who just can’t say no, set a limit for the number of events you will attend. Once you hit that limit, politely decline any other events. You may feel awkward at first saying no to people, especially if it is a close friend, but you will thank yourself in the long run. While the holidays are supposed to be about family and friends, it’s important to prioritize yourself.  

Disconnect: 

It can be easy to spend hours scrolling through Instagram looking for the best holiday deals or constantly refreshing your email to see if your boss needs you, but spending time away from your phone can actually make the holidays more enjoyable. This holiday season, try to commit to two hours’ phone-free every day. Sure, it can be difficult to completely disconnect for two hours, but we promise you, the work emails and liking your best friend’s holiday selfie can wait. 

By disconnecting, you will be completely present while catching up with friends and family. There are plenty of things to keep you occupied that don’t include your cell phone. Take a walk, play a board game or watch your favorite childhood holiday movie. While a “digital detox” may seem stressful at first, you will find yourself relaxed and recharged when you come back from the holiday break. 

Find Ways to Stay Active:

Exercise helps reduce stress, so it only makes sense that if you are feeling stressed this holiday season, sweating it out might be your answer. However, with so many things on our to-do lists, finding time to get to the gym may seem nearly impossible. Take time out of your day to walk around the block, practice progressive muscle relaxation, and stretch out each part of your body.

If you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed by all of the commotions at home, try heading to a local workout class. Reach out to one of your hometown friends and go explore a new studio you haven’t been to yet. Not only will getting out of the house help refresh you, but you’ll be able to sweat out the stress and catch up with an old friend. 

The holidays are meant to be fun and relaxing, so why are we constantly adding on extra stress? Figure out what adds stress to your life and then decide how you can eliminate it this holiday season. Always remember, your MYX family will be here to help you through it!

Older Post Newer Post

The Bright Side Blog

Sign up to get our positively helpful newsletter for healthy bodies and happy minds. We'll also send you special offers (every now and then).

SHOP NOW