As Christmas and New Year week are approaching, many of us already have planned to go out during these holiday weekends. We have daydreaming about our vacations as the burden and tension start decreasing. Moreover, it led to reduced stress and anxiety as well. According to research, it has been seen that having a good vacation can affect energy and stress, and around 94% of people feel refreshed after coming back from a vacation. The name of the holiday excites us. We take holidays just to get rid of stress, but have you heard about people who are getting holiday stress? This may sound surprising to many of us as it is something new that we know about. In this article, we will learn about holiday stress and what causes it.
Why Does Holiday Stress Happen?
Holiday stress can be defined as the stress that occurs during holidays due to increasing individual time and emotions.
This is the same as the stress, we face in everyday life. These symptoms include anxiety, sadness, not being able to sleep, and irritation. Holiday stress can occur to anyone, be it children or adults. This can hurt our mental and physical well-being. In this section, we will look at the causes of this holiday stress.
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Unrealistic Expectations
One of the reasons for stress is unrealistic expectations and when people do not meet these expectations, they might feel a sense of failure. As many people have expected everything should go according to plan and when you plan a trip with your family, conflicts will happen that can change things in your plan. If someone is planning a party in their house, then these people have pressure to buy perfect gifts for everyone and have a perfect meal.
Whenever these things do not go according to people’s expectations, they feel frustrated and disappointed. These unrealistic expectations not only arise from perfectionism alone, but the media also plays a significant role in setting unrealistic expectations about holiday stress. As we, all know how media visualize the idea of a holiday and the reality is far away from that dreamy vacation. The media shows it as everyone being together and having fun, but we know the reality is the opposite. It is full of chaos and mess. Everyone in the family has different opinions and expectations that cause conflict. These differences could include where to go, and what are activities to be done.
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Financial Stain
We know that the holiday is meant for making memories and enjoying ourselves with our loved ones. In an attempt to do this, people buy lavish things or spend too much money when they go outside. As a result, it can create a situation of debt. This financial strain can cause anxiety and stress in the family. Moreover, the financial burden during this time also gets high as people do their best to make this time as happy as they can. However, if someone were already facing a hard time in managing financing then it would add more pressure to him or her. This would create guilt in many people as they think that they are not being able to meet the financial needs of their families. This will heighten the tension and conflict among the family. Therefore, it is important to set realistic expectations and find happiness in them.
Coping Strategies to Overcome Holiday Stress
Unrealistic expectations and financial strain are some of the reasons behind having holiday stress. However, we know it is important for us to vent our work-life stress so that we can work more efficiently once we feel okay. This could be achieved by taking a day off or holiday leave, which is why those who are dealing with holiday stress need to add some of these coping strategies to remove this stress.
Tips To Cope With Financial Strain
To begin with, before planning any trip it is important to see if that is budget-friendly for you or not. Plan things accordingly be it the gifts, travel, hotel, and other things. Once you are done with the planning, stick to it. Don’t let the short-term temptation distract you. Moreover, always look for the discount and deal that works best for you. Whenever there is a festive season, many brands launch exciting discounts and deals. Take advantage of it and shop around it. Many people go for online shopping as well as it is quite cheaper than going to market. Furthermore, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on your gifts to feel festive vibes. Try to give gifts by adding your creativity to it. As it will not only save you from financial strain but also be used to sustain resources that are available at home.
Also Read: Tips to deal with Loneliness
Dealing With Family Problems
Conflict with family during holidays is common as everyone comes up with different perceptions and opinions. Therefore, it is important to overcome these family problems to reduce holiday stress. Firstly, there should be a place for open communication. So that everyone can talk about what they feel and after discussing things, make sure that you all are on the same page. Secondly, setting up boundaries so that if there is something that you are not feeling comfortable with. Limit your time with toxic people and focus more on yourself. Thirdly, create a family-friendly plan so that conflict does not occur. This will also help you to reduce stress, and help make sure that if will problem arises you will be able to handle that.
Lastly, it is important for you to focus on yourself when you are on holiday. Therefore, practice self-care techniques like yoga, and meditation and start journaling about the things that you care about. Eating healthy and getting, enough sleep can also help. Try to limit your social media usage as well, as it creates a sense of the false image of holidays that mislead people’s view on holidays. Enjoy this time as much as you can.
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