The Christmas Time of Year - Part 2

Whether you love Christmas or loathe it, Christmas has the potential to be a stressful time of year. Here are some more tips to help you through the Christmas period.
Delegate Christmas tasks and ask for help. Communicate openly and remember it’s ok to say “no”. Don’t carry the entire burden
If you experience persistent low mood or anxiety, consider professional help. There is a wealth of experience and expertise available to deal with mental health difficulties.
Avoid comparing yourself with other people as this can have a negative effect on how we feel. Social media and consumer advertising can make this worse, and lead to a treadmill of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’, especially at Christmas. Limiting exposure to social media and television advertising over the Christmas period can help this.
Have realistic expectations about family gatherings. We put special significance on Christmas as a ‘time for family’, perhaps because many modern families live far apart. Being realistic about what you can expect from this time together will help avoid disappointment and arguments, which might then make it easier to heal family rifts.
Allow yourself to take ‘time out’ if you find your stress levels rising. This can be hard to do if you have domestic responsibilities – looking after children or feeling obligated to entertain visitors – so it can help to pre-plan and ask for help from family and friends.
For help relaxing from stress contact Tracy from Relax From Stress Holistic Centre on 086-2202734 or visit www.relaxfromstress.ie.
Published in the Connaught Telegraph newspaper on 12 December 2017