5 tips for staying stress free this Christmas

SpunOutter Rachel gives her tips for a relaxed Christmas

Written by Rachel Mc Ardle

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We all know Christmas can be a stressful time, and if you are a person prone to anxiety (like most people!) this can be an extra time of stress for some, so follow these few tips to stay as stress free as possible this festive season:

1. Don't try to do too much in too little time

This is a common one for many of us, we say yes to going to every social event under the sun, including your auntie’s best friend’s cousins’ Stephens day party, and when these special days roll around you end up in a place that you don’t really want to be and this can flood you with anxiety before, during and after the event. Time is precious so chose the events to go to carefully, and don’t be afraid to say no to people. If you need time to recharge your batteries then take that time #selfcare.

2. Try maintain a healthy-ish lifestyle

Of course you are probably going to eat too much, and maybe drink more often than you normally would, but if you try limit these indulgences to occasions then you can enjoy them guilt free. Try not to get into the habit of eating half a pack of roses every evening in December, however tempting that might be (Less tempting since they got rid of the dairy milk rose tbh).

3. Don’t be too hard on yourself

This is closely related to No 2, if you generally eat well and exercise, don’t let yourself become consumed by guilt for taking a few days off. These breaks will not ruin your diet, and will help give you motivation to kick-start again in 2016. Be kind to yourself.

4. Keep time for yourself

If you have a busy day on Christmas and in the run up, be sure to maintain some hobby that is just for you. Whether this is reading, knitting, adult colouring (which I would highly recommend- all year round!) or binge watching Netflix, find whatever chills you out and do it, without feeling like you should be doing something else. Allow yourself me time, it's essential to destress.

5. Prepare and make plans (For students)

Too many Christmases of my undergrad degree were spent feeling anxious about exams, procrastinating, and subsequently feeling even more anxious about them. Even though it can be hard to even think about them, make a plan to break up your study into small manageable amounts rather than leave it all to the end and then stress about it. That old saying of fail to prepare prepare to fail is actually true and could save you a lot of anxiety in January.

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