Dealing with Stress at Special Times

The effects of unchecked stress on the health of an individual are many and varied, from the exacerbation of headaches and migraines, to fatigue and a greater susceptibility to flu and illness. Indeed, it can even lead to weight gain.

While stress is difficult to manage at any time, those times that are supposed to be enjoyed with family may make it particularly hard to bear. The winter holiday period or summer vacation can be a significant trigger for those who suffer from stress, with the emphasis on enjoyment being lost in a quest for perfection.

Recognizing Stress Triggers

However, there is hope for stress sufferers, and just a few simple steps can help to curb the impact of the condition on both long and short term wellbeing. Experts advise that stress sufferers should learn to recognize those situations that tend to exacerbate their perceptions and symptoms of stress.

Common triggers, often experienced during traditional family times include:

*Relationships - relationships issues are often a source of continual stress, which can be enhanced by greater amounts of time spent together. This is particularly the case with parent-child or sibling incompatibility which can surface during such periods.

*Finances - individuals often feel pressured to spend money during holidays and vacations.

*Exhaustion - while work may stop for the holidays and during vacations, the individual managing the family event may experience a different type of work stress while endeavoring to ensure the smooth running of these events.

However, once these triggers are recognized and acknowledged, steps may be taken to reduce their impact on stress levels at these important times. Stress sufferers should recognize that they are not able to control every aspect of an occasion and event and should look to employ coping strategies if stress threatens their enjoyment.

Coping with Stress

Some of the best tips for combating stress during special occasions include:

*Admitting to feelings of overwhelm – it is natural to find the task ahead to be daunting. Expressing such feelings is the best way to opening the door to receiving help from friends and family.

*Asking for help – reach out to others to ask each to play a part in the organization of events and occasions. In this way not only is the actual workload shared, but also the responsibility for the eventual outcome.

*Eliminate perfectionism – why strive for the unattainable? Aim for each event and occasion to simply be enjoyable for all concerned.

*Budgeting – determine what is affordable and maintaining the budget can prevent over-spending and attendant guilt which threaten to spoil the enjoyment of a vacation, party or other event.

*Health first – nutrition and exercise are important in the fight against stress, thus ensuring that time is prioritized for exercise, taking multivitamin supplement and not straying too far from one’s customary healthy diet will help the body to manage stress much more effectively.

Don’t Allow Stress to Ruin Happy Times

It is important for us all to remember that there is little point in making ourselves unhappy in the pursuit of happiness. Planning ahead and taking a few simple steps to avoid stress triggers may well be the best way to ensure that special events and vacations are enjoyed.

I recommend the Panic Away program by Barry Joey McDonagh