7 Steps For Beating Spokane Holiday Stress

When did the holidays get so stressful?

It’s supposed to be a joyous season, a season of giving and enjoying friends and family. These days it seems to be a time of year we all get a little anxious about, maybe even dread…with all the deadlines for getting holiday cards written and mailed out on time, making the perfect gift giving list, fighting the crowds at the malls to shop at just the right time to get the best sales, gift wrapping, party planning, party attending, travel, etc….whew, it is a busy season.

Are you feeling overwhelmed already? The best thing you can do for yourself this holiday season to make it a bit more enjoyable, is to take a step back every so often to de-stress. Here are 7 simple steps to stressing less this month:

1. Stop, take a deep breath. Look at the big picture. When obstacles pop up, ask yourself, how stressful the situation really is: will this matter in three months? Three years? This will help you reassess the situation, solve problems, and let go of the little things.

2. Take the scenic route. To ease commuting woes, get off crowded streets and busy highways and drive down a tree-lined road instead.

3. Sip tea. Whether your at the mall doing your shopping or home after a long day of holiday prep, take a break and sip some hot tea. A recent British study found that regularly drinking black tea can lower levels of stress hormones and induce feelings of relaxation. (Just be mindful of caffeine amounts.) You may also want to try an herbal tea, the Tazo Calm Tea is my favorite for distressing.

4. Get a chair massage. These short massages now offered in salons, malls, and airports can work wonders on chipping away accumulated stress. Even a 15-minutes massage can calm your nerves and help you refocus.

5. Watch a comedy. Feel-good endorphins start cranking and their mood-boosting benefits kick in as soon as you start to anticipate having a chuckle. Plus, a good belly laugh can relax your whole body.

6. Lend a hand. Reaching out to someone else gets you away from your own worries and puts things in perspective.

7. Play on the Web. Doing online puzzles, like solitaire or Sudoku, can decrease stress and improve mood, according to new research. Because you’re distracted from your worries by the game, your nervous system can relax.

8. Exercise. Thirty minutes of physical activity per day helps both body and mind. If you have an hour lunch break at the office, use half of it for a walk or a jog. Sticking with your regular fitness routine or even beefing up your routine will help you ward of stress this month.

Well I guess that was 8, not 7, oh well.

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