20 tips against December stress

The December month is often a month full of stress situations, especially for people with chronic hyperventilation. Below you can read our 20 tips against December stress.

What can you do against stress with the holidays?

But the December month does not have to be that stressful. You can choose to do it differently this year! What can you do against stress with the holidays? Below you can read our 20 tips against December stress.

1. Determine and prioritize your activities in advance. Don’t do all kinds of extra shopping or buy presents at the last minute.
2. Make choices, what are you going to celebrate and what not? There are many festivities in December, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day. You do not have to participate on al those events.
3. Plan ahead. Start making shopping lists and buy gifts on time. Make that appointment with the hairdresser two weeks in advance. Also go to the shop early for your Christmas outfit.
4. Go for quality instead of quantity. Opt for less, but more fun activities. Buy one beautiful gift rather than 10 nonsense things. Do not take all party invitations and do not invite too many people.
5. Do you have a small budget? Then make your presents yourself. The value of the gift is in the gesture, not in how much it cost.
6. Delegate. Trust your partner, children or friends to take on some of the tasks.
7. Perhaps it would be better to plan the festivities on a different day. Christmas dinner must not necessarily always be on December 25?
8. Do you organize a big Christmas dinner with family or friends? Let others take a dish or prepare the dinner together with your guests. And don’t you want to have any stress at all? Having your Christmas dinner delivered at home is always an option.
9. During the holidays people always eat and drink more than usual. Therefore, try to put healthy things on the table.
10. Let go of your perfectionism. You do not have to give the best party of the year. Or the Christmas dinner that everyone talks about for years. It is more important that it is fun and you can enjoy it yourself as well as the guests.
11. Take breaks, especially when you’re busy. Use everything you have learned to deal with stress (exercise, massage, meditation) to regain your balance.
12. Do you find all those compulsory social contacts and large groups overwhelming? Then plan some time alone. To just take a walk for example.
13. Do something active after an abundant meal. If running is too ambitious, go for a walk.
14. You do not necessarily have to be at home with the holidays. Celebrate the holidays somewhere else. See if you can visit family, go to a hotel or holiday park with your family for a few days or go on holiday. This way you avoid the crowds and the stress.
15. Are you alone on these holidays? A lonely Christmas is no fun for anyone. Look for activities in the area or sign up to volunteer work.
16. Talk about your feelings. It will surprise you how many people in your area struggle with the same problems during this period.
17. Do these things during the holidays make you unhappy: too much food, too much alcohol, having to spend the whole day with your family (in law), conversation topics you do not feel like, that party you always go to reluctantly). Then try something new!
18. Meaningful connecting with other people will make you feel better. So say ‘no’ to the obligatory social events. And instead connect with people who are genuinely interested in you.
19. Stop comparing yourself with others. Everyone seems happy and cheerful with the holidays. But you do not know what lies behind the façade people put up.
20. If the holidays are difficult for you, keep in mind that it is only a short period of the year.

So for everyone with chronic hyperventilation and / or stress: hopefully the above tips will help you to get through the December month!