6 Tips to Manage Your Mental Health During the Holidays

By Kristin Bower, leadership and workplace consultant with MyWorkplaceHealth

Some of us love everything about the holiday season – cookies, music, gifts! And some of us have a harder time with it all, even at the best of times. Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a loved one or find yourself alone in a new city. Or maybe you just don’t like all the commercialism that can come with this time of year. Regardless of what is happening in each of our individual lives, the holiday season can often pose unique challenges for us. So, we put together some tips on how to manage your mental health during the holidays.
 
How to Manage Your Mental Health During the Holidays 

Here are six tips to help you enjoy the holiday season while minimizing the negative impact on your mental health:

1. Stay in the moment: You start writing your gift list and then it turns into pages of holiday season to-dos. Before long, you are already worrying about all the things that need to get done (or maybe this year you’re sad about the lack of things to do). When you find your mind racing ahead, take a deep breath, remind yourself to stay present in the moment and enjoy that moment. Have a cup of tea, put on some music and sit quietly. Or, get up and go for a walk outside – be mindful of the sights and sounds around you. Consider practicing mindfulness – learn how with Dr. Joti. 
2. Keep things simple: Do you feel inspired or overwhelmed by the images on social media that show perfectly decorated homes and elaborate family meals? It’s easy to get carried away and want to do it all. But here is the truth: perfection is unattainable. Aim for your own version of perfection and embrace everything that comes with it.
3. Don’t overspend: Your gift list may start with four people and before you know it you have added your next-door neighbour, your hairdresser and the dog walker. The costs can add up quickly! Be creative with gift-giving. Create a list, set a budget and stick with it. Come January when your credit card balance is low and your bank account still has money in it, you’ll be thankful!
4. Balance your indulgences: It’s the season of “eat, drink and be merry.” It can be fun to indulge but do so with a plan to ensure you don’t go overboard. This year it may be particularly challenging for some not to overindulgence with alcohol. Keep in mind that alcohol is a depressant so it can make you feel worse. If you’re going to be consuming alcohol remember to do so in moderation and follow every drink with a glass of water. 
5. Practice gratitude: Gratitude has been scientifically proven to have a positive effect on the chemicals in the brain. One of the biggest impacts of gratitude on our mental health? It helps to reduce stress. Start a New Year’s Resolution a month early and begin practicing gratitude. Each day or before you go to bed at night, write down three things you’re grateful for. Gratitude can shift your perspective and help to reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
6. Create new traditions. Many of us aren’t going to be able to engage in the traditions we are so fond of this holiday season. Find nostalgia in the little things and create new traditions. Maybe we can find some comfort in decorating our house or the little things that bring back positive memories such as smells and sounds. Dig up those old Christmas records or CDs and have a dance party, or buy a scented candle. Watch that traditional Christmas movie with your family online. Or create a whole new set of traditions with your household. This year is your chance to be creative. 

 
Final Thoughts

Try to find gratitude in the things we do have, find creative solutions to our traditions or make new ones, and stay in the moment.
 
Adapted from Kristin Bower’s Original Article on MyWorkplaceHealth.com

Kristin Bower is a Leadership and Workplace Consultant with MyWorkplaceHealth and an award-winning Diversity and Inclusion expert. With over 20-years of experience, she is an outspoken advocate for a deeper awareness of mental health issues and is committed to helping organizations foster psychologically safe and healthy workplaces.