SOME people love nothing more than dusting off their reindeer antlers for the festive season, while others take pleasure in imitating the Grinch.
Feeling the overwhelm is understandable when you consider how much work is actually involved, all with a sprinkling of forced cheer, hangovers and sleep deprivation.
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Joanne Mallon, author of How To Find Calm In Five Minutes A Day, has learned to take stress in her stride.
“Real life is messy and ragged at the edges, and Christmas is no exception,” she says.
“Your first step is to remove any guilt around so-called “me-time”, which easily slips away at this time of year.
“I think it might help if we think of it as ‘recharging time’,” Joanne says.
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“When you have people in your life who depend on you, you can’t keep on giving to them without at some point giving to yourself as well.
“Recharging is essential.”
Habit stacking, Joanne says, is the best way to make stress-management tools stick.
“Think of something you already do every day, such as brushing your teeth or taking a shower, and hook your new habit on to that,” she says.
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Don’t make it complicated or lengthy, either.
“An hour of meditation is probably great for your wellbeing, but who’s got a spare hour to sit in silence, especially at Christmas?”
Here are Joanna’s top stress-relief tips…
Micromanage yourself
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The mental to-do list, especially ahead of the big day, seems never-ending.
To progress stress-free, break down your tasks each day.
“What’s one main thing you want to get done?” Joanna asks.
“Break it down into the smallest of actions.
“Find the first step, and momentum will carry you on calmly from there.
“Don’t be afraid to drop tasks, too.
“And ask yourself what would happen if you didn’t do something.
“If the answer is nothing, then you can probably ditch the task.
“This is how I eliminated ironing, sending Christmas cards and doing burpees from my list.”
Create a worry window
It’s useful to acknowledge your worries, because if bottled up, they may creep into your daily life, or worse, lead to a breakdown at a later date.
“Take active charge of your concerns and allow yourself a five-minute worry window in the evening,” says Joanne.
“Having an active beginning and end to your worry window – you could even set a timer – will help you feel more in control and able to deal with whatever is challenging you.”
Nibble on dark chocolate
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Studies have suggested that a magnesium deficiency is linked to depression and increased susceptibility to stress and anxiety.
“This has caused it to be dubbed ‘nature’s tranquilliser’,” Joanne says.
“Look to add magnesium-rich foods, such as dark chocolate, nuts, avocado, seeds, bananas and tofu to your diet.
“I take a daily magnesium tablet – I keep a packet on my desk where I work every day, so it’s part of my routine.”
Look to the sky
Christmas screams red, green and gold, and there’s not much room left for blue – the colour that psychology has found to be the most calming.
“Lighter, softer blues can also help us concentrate better,” Joanne says.
“I often start my day by looking at the sky, noticing what shade of blue it is.
“If it’s grey, I’ll wear a blue jumper.
“I’ve even tried dyeing my hair blue, and when we got the house repainted, guess what colour we chose for the front door?”
Listen to Mozart
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It may be a cliché, but classical music really can help improve mood.
“Listening to any kind of classical music has also been found to lower blood pressure,” says Joanne.
“You don’t need to have any specialist knowledge of the music to absorb the benefits.
“I often play Classic FM when I’m driving or making dinner.”
If that really isn’t your thing, make a playlist of all the songs that make you feel calm or bring you a happy, relaxing memory, and put it on repeat.
Dial down on phone use
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Set some phone boundaries and stick to them.
“Our mobiles are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to interrupting our focus and inserting stress into our lives,” Joanne says.
“But you own your phone; it doesn’t own you.”
Turning off all app notifications will quieten the mind.
“I have a few busier group chats muted, so I can look at them when it suits me rather than when the phone decides to beep,” says Joanne.
She also puts her phone in another room when reading a book, and always an hour before bedtime.
Find a calm corner
An area of your home dedicated to calm will be inviting after a long day.
Make sure it’s clutter-free and has comforting items – for example, a blanket, a candle or a hot-water bottle.
“My calm corner is a big, squishy, orange, velvet chair, where I can curl up and read a book,” Joanne says.
If you don’t have room at home, find a calming place near work to eat lunch every day, such as a park.
Focus on the good
When life is hectic or difficult, it’s easy to forget how much worse it could be, regardless of who you are and your circumstances.
“A daily gratitude practice is a fantastic way to feel more positive, even – and sometimes especially – in tough times,” Joanne says.
Often the things we are grateful for at the end of the day are small and easily forgotten, such as a cuddle with your pet.
Joanne has created a habit of practising gratitude during every morning shower.
“If my family, particularly my children, are happy, that’s a huge thing to pause and appreciate,” she says.
Try a meditation app, such as Calm, and keep a journal and pen by your bedside.
Stick to your boundaries
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So many people to see, so little time.
Make a list now of the people you genuinely want to catch up with before January.
“With plenty on your plate already, think very carefully about whatever else you take into your life,” Joanne says.
It’s hard to say no, but you’ll thank yourself in the long run.
Don’t know how to?
“Don’t over-explain or rush to apologise,” says Joanne.
“Adopt a personal policy of never agreeing to anything in the moment.
Saying: ‘Let me get back to you,’ gives you time to consider.
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“Be proud of when you say no and stick to your boundaries.
“An overwhelmed life will never be calm and is most likely headed for burnout.”
