Are You Bummed by Holiday Stress? You Are in Good Company, But You Should Still Do Something About It

by | Nov 30, 2018 | Holiday Stress, Stress, Stress Management, Stress Reduction, Teachers in Transition

Christmas holiday stress

Stress is a fact of life at any time of the year, but during the holiday season, it seems that our stress goes up rather dramatically. The songs all tell us that it is the “hap, hap, happiest time of the year,” but sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Holiday stress can suck a lot of the happiness out of the holiday season for us if we don't guard against it.

I have made the point before, and it is worth noting again, that this is a critical time of year for teachers in particular.

If you are a teacher and you are having a good year so far, the holidays are just the icing on the cake. Everything is humming along smoothly. Holiday stress is just something you will take in stride. It's not a big deal.

If you are having a bad year, however, well, that is something else altogether. Already stressed out, holiday stress compounds the problem significantly. Without taking specific steps to deal with it, holiday stress can create the perfect environment for colds, flu, bronchitis, sinus infections, and other manifestations of an over-stressed immune system. Suddenly, you are too sick to enjoy anything, much less the holiday season.

 

Stress Meter Showing Panic Attack From Stress Or Worry

Stress Meter Showing Panic Attack From Stress And Worry

I have started seeing an uptick in the requests for my “Stress Assessment Tool” recently.

 

There is also a higher demand for my “Cheat Sheet for Stress Management” right now. That tells me that people–and perhaps teachers especially–are feeling holiday stress already. And there are weeks to go before your break begins.

 

The uptick in subscriptions for those two tools tells me that some of my teacher peeps are already feeling overwhelmed. And they are looking for ways to provide themselves with some relief.

 

Some may be wondering if they are experiencing the first signs of teacher burnout. If you have wondered about that, there is a tool that will help you determine if you are or not. Click here to access it.

 

Now, it is a fact of life that stress is something we all face at one time or another throughout our lives.

 

It drains us of our ability to be our best physically, mentally, and emotionally. Often, we can overcome situational stress and move on with our lives. If we are healthy and resilient, dealing with situational stress is just part of life. We deal with the situation, and we move on.

 

Stress tends to appear in short bursts throughout our lives.

 

stress and anxiety signs

stress and anxiety signs

 

But when stress is more frequent and lasts longer than in occasional bursts, it drags us down. Indeed, at its worse, it can even be life-threatening.

 

Stress robs you of your energy and your resilience.

 

Your body needs strength to ward off disease and to maintain your life. When stress overcomes you for an extended period, your body no longer can stay well. Stress can create an opportunity for various diseases to develop. If you are experiencing an extended period of stress, you need to find ways to combat it.

 

Here are a few suggestions for what you can do to minimize and manage your stress during the holidays or any time.

 

1)  An excellent way to help overcome stress is to get more physical exercise. Exercise helps lower the level of stress your body feels. If you are already exercising and still feeling stressed out, consider increasing the frequency of your activity. Or perhaps you should increase the intensity of your workouts.

 

2) Changes in your diet can also have significant impacts on combatting stress. When you eat unhealthy food, your general energy level will be less than optimal. This allows stress to rear its ugly head. By changing your diet to a healthier one, your energy levels will increase. And you will be able to reduce much of your stress. Your body needs the minerals and nutrients that are in fresh fruits and vegetables. You also need healthy sources of protein. A balanced diet can make a tremendous difference in how you feel on a daily basis. It is not just a cliché that you are what you eat.

 

Lifestyle Choice

Lifestyle choice and dilemma concept as two human faces one made of fresh green vegetables and fruit and the other head shaped with greasy fast food

 

You get to choose every day how you are going to deal with the stress in your life!

 

3) If the cause of your stress is a situation that you are avoiding, you may need to bite the bullet. Confront that situation head on. The problem will only get worse if you don’t take care of it, whatever it happens to be. If the cause is due to someone else not taking action, you need to approach that person.
Find a way to help them stop being the bottleneck. It’s your health and wellbeing that is on the line, after all. Procrastination in any form can create more stress than it relieves. So if you need to have an awkward conversation with someone about a situation that is disturbing you, get it over with. Plan what you need to say. And then just do it. No matter how it turns out, you will have the situation resolved and off your proverbial plate.

 

4) Another way to combat stress is to do more of the things in life that make you happy. Spend more time on your hobbies or go hiking if that's your thing. Whatever it is that takes your mind off of your current situation is going to serve to lower your levels of stress. You deserve to be happy. Figure out what gives your life meaning, and do more of that.

 

You deserve to be happy

You deserve to be happy

 

Stress is a problem whether you are experiencing it during the holidays or any time of the year.

 

If you are experiencing a feeling of overwhelming stress, download the cheat sheet on stress management that I offer as a gift.

 

And if you want to address your stress proactively and learn strategies for managing it more effectively every day of the year, sign up for my 7-part stress management course.

This 7-part program is designed to help you take control of your situation using strategies to help you get through the holidays and the remaining school year with greater ease and confidence in yourself.

Make this a gift to yourself that you can use during the holidays and for the rest of the year. Plus, you will get LIFETIME access to the material, so you can review it any time you want. 

Red Holiday Gift Box

Give yourself a gift.

 

HERE IS WHAT YOU GET FROM THIS COURSE:

Create a new mindset and a more positive attitude about work.

Employ intentional, healthy habits to stay well and strong.

Take control of your environment at work and home.

Manage your workload more effectively.

Learn how to use the “5-second” rule by Mel Robbins.

Set better boundaries with friends and colleagues at work.

Know when to ask for help, and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

 

Silhouette young woman practicing yoga on the beach at sunset.

Silhouette young woman is practicing yoga on the beach at sunset.

The whole 7-part course is only $97.

Get it now and start tackling your stress the right way!

 

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