Anxiety Therapist Shares 21 Ways to Avoid Holiday Burnout
Anxiety Therapist Shares 21 Ways to Avoid Holiday Burnout
Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC
Before you know it, the holiday craziness has arrived! So before you know it, you’re burnt out, and you’re feeling anxious. But this year, are you ready to avoid feeling stressed and anxious during the holidays?
As anxiety therapists in Orlando at Mindful Living Counseling, we are here to support you and remind you how you can be the best version of yourself during a stressful time, so you can really enjoy the holiday season.
Use the simple tips below to help stay afloat when you’re feeling the anxiety that ultimately leads to burnout. Check in with yourself as needed and try to accomplish at least one of the items on this list. We hope that this will help you refocus your energy on what is truly valuable during the holidays.
21 Ideas to Reduce Burnout During Holidays
1. Make a List of Priorities
On this list, make the priorities from the most important task to the least. Establish a plan to complete the most important first and the least important last.
2. Set Time Away for Yourself to Recharge
The holidays can be a very hectic time of the year, and they can create a lot of stress and anxiety. After you’ve finished a long day of working, cooking, or taking care of the kids, make sure to take some time for yourself. You can also set your alarm a few minutes earlier in the morning to start the day with 10 minutes to yourself. We recommend Guided Meditation for Anxiety: Healing Light to help reduce stress, promote emotional health, enhance self-awareness, and calm anxiety.
3. If Possible, Shop Online
The hustle and bustle of shopping can cause an increase in anxiety, and the large crowds can also increase your stress. Take advantage of the fact that most stores offer curbside pickup, or they can deliver straight to your home at your convenience. Check out this blog post: 10 Gift Ideas for People With Anxiety.
4. Book Self-Care Appointments
So much of the holidays are about thinking about others. Give yourself a gift before all the family gatherings and set time aside so you can look and feel your best - your hair appointment, massage, or your favorite gym class. I love visiting The Body Lab for a pilates class to get my body moving! To read more about my experience at The Body Lab Pilates, check out my blog, Orlando Self-Care Spot: The Body Lab Pilates.
5. Ask for Help — and Release Perfectionism
We try to do so much on our own, and the holidays can be overwhelming enough. Reach out to loved ones you trust to see if they can lend a hand or help you carpool. Don’t try to do this alone.
The holidays also tend to trigger perfectionism and the pressure to make everything look flawless. This only adds stress and makes burnout more likely. Permit yourself to aim for “good enough.” Let others help, share the load, and remember that connection matters far more than perfection.
6. Surround Yourself With Positivity
As you’re moving into a hectic season, make sure to reach out to supportive friends and family. Having that positive support system around you will motivate you and keep you confident. This season of life is busy, and also a time when people can become critical. Try to surround yourself with people who relate to you, understand you, and support you.
7. Exercise!
You will have a few stressful weeks, and the stress can induce anxiety. Make sure you take time to move your body for a few minutes! Exercise is a great way to release that stress and anxiety from your body. Go for a bike ride, visit the nearest gym, or have an at-home dance party.
8. Don’t Overcommit
So much of your time will already be consumed with holiday parties, gift exchanges, and family time. If you feel like it’s too much, don’t be afraid to say no. Only you know how much you can handle, so make sure you set your boundaries.
9. Dive Into a Special Book
With so much going on, you can easily become overwhelmed with stress or anxiety, so finding a small distraction can help you relax. The journey of a great story will take you to another place where you unwind and disconnect from all the anxiety and stress. Some of our favorite reads at the moment are The Nightingale: A Novel, Educated, and The Vanishing Half.
10. Be Realistic
These next few weeks are some of the most chaotic days of the year! So this can mean you will be carrying extra stress, and even though you will want to do it all, it just might be too much. So be kind to yourself and make sure you’re not setting unrealistic expectations for yourself. You may not be able to make it to every party or cook every holiday-themed cake, and that’s ok, too.
11. Acknowledge if You Feel Overwhelmed
With so much going on, it can be easy to forget that others might also be feeling stressed and anxious like you. If you’re comfortable, take some time to call a friend or chat with a loved one and share how you’ve been feeling. When the anxiety starts, it can be helpful to vent to those around you and feel acknowledged when it comes to your stress and anxiety.
12. Meditate 10 Minutes a Day
Meditating once daily is an effective method to lower stress, emotional fluctuations, and improve focus. If you’re feeling more anxious or stressed lately, this could be a helpful way to unwind. We especially recommend our guided meditation, Presence & Intention, but you can also explore our full selection of Guided Meditations!
13. Pace Yourself
The holidays shouldn’t feel like a sprint, just like you would if you were running a marathon; don’t start too fast and don’t lose your pace. Try and remind yourself that you don’t have to finish everything in one day, take your time. If you try and finish everything at once, you will start to feel anxious and stressed if you don’t finish.
14. Make a Shopping Plan
Just like you have a grocery list, make a list of all the stores you need to visit. Also, try and include all the items you need to pick up on this list so you can be as efficient as possible. It can be stressful to shop for gifts, groceries, and all your holiday necessities without forgetting something! To try and ease this stress that comes with shopping, plan your shopping day so you don’t forget anything!
15. Set a Budget
With so much shopping happening during this time of year, it means you’ll be spending more money! Higher expenses can create some anxiety and could even lead to making you feel very stressed out. So before things get hectic, decide how much you want to spend on food, gifts, and decorations. With a plan in hand, you can be prepared and also be comfortable with how much you will be paying.
16. Walk Outside and Enjoy Fresh Air
Things can get a little chaotic during this time of year, and some fresh air can be refreshing! Stepping outside can take you away from anything that could be causing you stress. Those few minutes outside will allow you to breathe some fresh air and help clear your mind. Check out some ideas we thought of for you in our blog, 6 Anxiety-Friendly Activities to Do in Downtown Orlando.
17. Volunteer Around Your Community.
This is a time to celebrate and also a time to be thankful for all of the great things in your life. You may be feeling stressed or anxious about all of the preparations or even overwhelmed about how much you still have to do, so think about finding some time to volunteer! Giving back to your community is a great way to remember what the holidays are all about and help you shift your mindset from stressed to thankful.
18. Set Boundaries
Overbooking yourself is always the theme when it comes to the holiday season, and it seems to be what everyone does! Instead of being the person who is “so busy,” take the initiative this year to plan for a healthier schedule where you can be present without feeling anxious or exhausted. Attending or hosting any of your commitments will feel good when you have set limits for yourself and everyone around you. You can learn more about setting holiday boundaries in our blog post 10 Tips for Dealing With Difficult Family during the Holidays or 5 Simple Steps to Setting a Boundary.
19. Write Down What you are Grateful for
You still have a bunch of things to finish, and you start to feel stressed about not finishing everything in time. So, prepare a simple yet thoughtful list of things you are grateful for during this holiday season. When the stress of hosting or cooking becomes overwhelming, think about the list that you made. Remind yourself of all the wonderful things you have to be thankful for and see if you’re able to release some of that overwhelming stress.
20. Get Plenty of Sleep
Your schedule will never be as busy as it is during the holiday season! So you will have to work twice as hard to find time to catch up on your sleep, so you continue to be productive. Being well-rested means you took the right amount of time to decompress and relax, which will help with any stress or anxiety. This blog post is great to help you get some rest. Can't Sleep? 45 Sleep Hacks to Help You Get Your Zzz's or How to Get Better Sleep. Make it a priority to recharge every day during this busy time so you can be present and productive.
21. Live in the Moment!
Now it’s finally time to celebrate! The holidays are finally here, and you’ve done so much preparation for this moment, so now, enjoy it. All the anticipation and hard work of the last few weeks are for these few days of special moments with the people you love most.
The reason we were able to put this list together is that we have also experienced feeling stressed, anxious, and burned out from the holidays, and we can relate! We hope that this list helps you navigate this time of the year and gives you some relief when you start to feel stressed or anxious. Take all of these tips and use them as best you can so you can enjoy the holiday season!
Ready to Start Burnout Therapy?
Are you ready to begin your journey towards overcoming burnout? Our therapists at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando are here to help you find peace in your daily life.
Additional Burnout Therapy Resources
Anxiety Therapist Shares: 10 Gift Ideas for People With Anxiety
How to Deal with Difficult Family Through the Holidays
Anxiety Therapist Shares: Gift Ideas for People With Stress and Anxiety
21 De-Stressing Strategies that will Transform your Holidays
Guide to Choosing Your Word of the Year
Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando, FL
At Mindful Living Counseling, we offer a range of therapy options. We offer anxiety therapy, toxic relationship counseling, EMDR therapy, teen therapy, and guided meditation. We also offer Guided Meditations. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
About the Owner of Mindful Living Counseling
As an Orlando Therapist, Lauran Hahn, LMHC, specializes in working with clients who are struggling with anxiety and clients who experience burnout. She also specializes in boundaries and supporting her clients in healing from toxic relationships. Lauran works hard to help her clients feel calm in their bodies, at peace in their minds, and connected in relationships.