Newswise — Crowded, bustling malls, repeated trips to the airport to fetch long-lost relatives, and the constant shuffling of cookies and turkey out of your oven can translate into one reaction: stress. Christmas may be the season of love and celebration, but sometimes holiday festivities can become overwhelming. According to Dr. Alan Manevitz, a psychiatrist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, some families feel stress from trying to keep up with the Joneses. For others, family conflicts arise from stress borne out of togetherness. Additionally, mothers often do a tremendous amount of preparation during the holiday season. This excess work and struggle to please everyone can leave them feeling isolated. " During the holidays, our lives become even more stressful as we try to juggle our usual responsibilities with extra holiday preparation and complicated family dynamics," says Dr. Manevitz." This year, try to keep your holiday stress to a minimum by prioritizing what is important to you and then planning how you will get it done."
* Don't wait for the last minute to make plans. If you have family difficulties, try to plan some time with friends.
* Don't be a perfectionist about the holidays. Prioritize the events that matter the most to you and your family. Understand that you can't do everything, so choose the things that you can accomplish and enjoy.
* For gift shopping, remember that it's the thought that counts. Don't let competitiveness and perfectionism send you on too many shopping trips.
* Simplify. Don't bake 20 different types of cookies unless you enjoy it. You and your family may enjoy fewer cookies but more time together.
* Remember that family time can be both wonderful and anxiety-provoking. Sometimes, expectations for reunions are too high, resulting in disappointment and frustration. Try to be realistic.
* Plan your time so that you take care of several errands on one trip. You will have more time to spend doing the things that you really want to do.
* Take some time to think about what the holiday really means to you and your family. Time together, religious observance, reflection on your life and future goals"let these aspects of the holidays keep things in perspective.
These tips can help you to reduce stress and make the holidays a pleasure. Doing less may help you to enjoy the season more and that is really the best stress reliever of all.
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