Managing Stress During the Holidays

Last night, the St. Matthias Employment Ministry presented a short program called "Managing Stress During the Holidays."

For those who wanted to come, or for anyone interested in what was covered, here are some of the key points.

Managing Stress During the Holidays

Stress is a fact of life. In moderate amounts, stress can energize you. It can be "the spice of life." Too much chronic stress, however, can take a toll on you...and even make you sick.

At this time of year, when so many are celebrating the holidays, some may feel the weight of stress even more heavily, especially those who are out of work, under-employed, or unhappy in a job.

For all of those, and anyone else feeling stressed, here are some recommended ways to manage the stress of the holidays:

Breathe - Practice deep slow breathing.

Imagine - Visualize what you seek.

Think - Think loving thoughts.

Positive - Focus on the positive.

Kindness - Respond to others with kindness.

Time - Manage your time better. Set priorities. Determine what can wait.

Flexibility - Be flexible, be reasonable.

Avoid - Avoid people or situations you find stressful.

Escape - Into a book, or a movie. Listen to music.

Talk - Express yourself. Don’t bottle feelings up. Talk it out with a friend.

Write - Express your thoughts and feelings. Keep a journal.

Notice - What tends to trigger stress in you?

Boundaries - Say “no”. Don't take it personally. Step back.

Expectations - Adjust expectations. Be realistic. Nobody is perfect.

Perspective - Put it in perspective.

Breaks - Take a break.

Quiet - Find quiet time.

Attitude - Maintain a positive attitude.

Relax - Trigger your own relaxation response in whatever way you like best. Lay in a hammock. Sit in a comfy chair with music on.

Meditate - You can pray if you like. Or just ponder a pleasant, positive thought while sitting quietly and comfortably.

Friends - Spend quality time with people who are special to you.

Sleep - The antidote to stress is good restful sleep. Even naps in the afternoon can be beneficial too.

Exercise - Walking will get you started. Then dance, swim, run etc. Yoga and Tai Chi count too.

Laugh - Laughter and exercise release endorphins, the body's own natural pleasure hormones.

Food - Eat healthy. Watch what you eat.

And finally some words of wisdom on stress:

“Our greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James

“It's not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.” – Hans Selye, author of The Stress of Life and Stress Without Distress

If you would like to schedule this or a similar program for your group, let me know. You can reach me at thseamon@yahoo.com or (732) 246-3014.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant who provides leadership and team development services to employers in New Jersey. His book Lead the Way explores the challenges of leadership. Additionally, Terry is a job search and career coach whose book To Your Success provides a motivational guide for anyone in transition. An alumnus of PSG, Terry co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ. He can be reached at thseamon@yahoo.com and via his website: http://about.me/terrenceseamon

Posted by Terrence seamon on December 18, 2012