Managing Stress During the Holidays

Even though the holidays are meant to be relaxing, they can be exceptionally stressful for mothers. The truth is, many of the traditional stress-relief solutions simply don’t work for busy moms. It is difficult or near-impossible to find the time to relax into a bubble bath with energetic kids bouncing around! As for meditation or yoga, forget it -- the alluring promise of deep relaxation quickly vanishes once the phone rings, the kids shout, or you suddenly realize you forgot that Zoom call with your parents.

5 Ways to Manage Holiday Stress

If you’re struggling to de-stress during the holidays, check out these mom-approved tips and tricks, and rediscover the peace and joy of the season:

Invest in relaxation

How many nights do you finally sit down and just yearn for a good back rub? When stress builds up, it can manifest in very real aches and pains, particularly in your neck, shoulders, and lower back. Invest in the tools that can help you melt away the tension like a luxury massage chair. Quality massage chairs deliver a better, deeper back massage than your spouse could dream of giving (shhh, don’t tell them that!) and can be just the thing you need to find soothing relief at the end of a long day this holiday season.

Take the shortcut

Do shortcuts feel like you’re taking the easy way out? They should! And that’s not a bad thing. When it comes to finding ease and peace during the holidays, take those shortcuts that save you time and energy. Don’t want to make the pie crust from scratch? Get a premade crust from the store. Not up for holiday shopping for nine different family members? Suggest a Secret Santa operation instead, or find easy e-gifts like online donations and gift cards that can be emailed to the recipient.

Use your nose

Aromatherapy can have a surprisingly powerful effect on your mood and energy. Take advantage of all the wonderful smells the holidays have to offer, whether it’s lighting a candle, squeezing a few drops of peppermint oil into your diffuser, or indulging in that luxury lavender hand soap you’ve had your eye on. Research has shown that different scents trigger key areas of the brain related to everything from relaxation to anxiety relief, attentiveness, and focus.

Track your spending

Money is a common source of stress, especially during the holidays when spending increases ten-fold. Stop those financial headaches before they start by setting budgets with your partner and using technology to save and track your spending. Free apps like Mint provide a comprehensive look at all your accounts and spending by category. And easy browser plugins like Honey or Capital One Shopping help you save money when you’re shopping online by finding relevant promo codes and applying them right at checkout.

Help others

It’s understandable to get wrapped up in family priorities during the holidays - whether it’s planning a big meal, buying presents, decorating, you name it. One way to experience immediate stress relief, however, is to focus on helping someone else. If it’s not possible for you (and your kids too) to get out to an in-person volunteer event like packing boxes at the foodbank or walking dogs at the animal shelter, you can still find ways to pitch in from home. Check out Operation Santa from USPS, write holiday cards to a local nursing home, or work with your kids to collect their gently-used toys, books, and clothes to donate to children in underserved communities.