Five Tips for Managing Holiday/Exam Stress

The holidays bring enough on their own to keep one’s mind and hands occupied for weeks, yet semesters come to a close and exams loom up ahead precisely in unison with the yuletide. For most, this brings a time where mistletoe overhead dangles alongside stress and anxiety. Luckily, with a few key tips in mind and a bit of organization one can maintain the cheery holiday pastimes tradition so calls upon, in conjunction with great exam scores, and all while maintaining sanity. Here’s how:

1. Prepare to Unload

Many people find themselves overwhelmed throughout the holidays because they’ve simply taken too much onto their plate at one time. First you promised to help mom decorate the house and bake cookies, your friends wanted to go caroling, you’ve volunteered at the seniors center for a Christmas bash, you’ve got an English project due next week, finals are only a few weeks away, you’ve yet to buy presents, and what’s that, you’ve completely forgotten to organize your annual Christmas party, all with Christmas only a week and a half away! Sometimes we over-leap ourselves a little, it happens to everyone. When all the things that need to be done seem to be piling on to infinite and impossible heights it’s time to let some things go, we all need time to breathe.

2. Keep it Simple

A proactive way to manage the overwhelming amount of tasks that arrive at this time of year is to prevent overload before it occurs. I know, easier said then done. However, it is possible. To do this requires a lot of organization, and most importantly, a firm understanding of your own personal limits. Not the limits set by your mother, who really wants you to learn the family recipe for stuffing. Not the limits set by your youth group, who want you to take on some extra commitments during this season. Not even the limits set by your teacher, who wants that project in next Tuesday. I often find that when you tell others about your inability to commit, beforehand, they are often quite understanding, especially if under normal situations you’d be the first one to jump to their aid. By simply staying organized, and keeping your personal limits in mind, you can avoid

holiday stress before it happens.

3. Take Care of Yourself

With so many commitments to others, oftentimes we find ourselves neglecting ourselves when life gets a little hectic. That’s why, although this tip may seem obvious, it is important to include. It’s so easy to skimp on sleep, or skip breakfast in favor of getting a head start on all that needs to be done in a day, but it’s important to make a strong effort to commit to keeping a healthy lifestyle throughout stress. Try to get eight hours of sleep a night, three nutritionally balanced meals a day, and at least half an hour of exercise daily. I know it’s difficult, believe me, I’ve had many a day where I’ve had four hours sleep, no breakfast, and no trip to the gym, but let’s face it; who feels good on those days? It makes it a lot easier to juggle a million different things when your focused and in good condition. To better meet the needs of others, we must first meet the needs of ourselves.

4. Take “Down Time” When You Need it

This tip ties in very closely to the last tip, however, it does deviate slightly; while exercise, sleep, and food can all be taken as “basic needs,” going to the mall to hang out with your friends doesn’t quite fit in that category. However, having time to “chill out” can be equally important; social outings boost mood and relieve stress. During this time of year, where things are busy to the point where it seems impossible to see friends, it’s important to keep social; just think of it as prep for the busy holiday schedule and for exams; it’ll keep your stress under control so when it comes time to work, you can buckle down. Feeling too stretched for time to manage that? Try volunteering or present shopping with friends, work mixed with fun is alway the best way  to go about anything!

5. Time Management

Another tip that plays upon organizational skills, managing time is a crucial ability to have in order to maintain a balanced lifestyle, while getting the tasks you need to do done. To manage time effectively, one needs to plan in advance. Figure out how long your going to spend each day on schoolwork, down time, work, volunteering, family events, taking care of yourself, and any other commitments you may have. This schedule should be flexible, your days change and so should your plans. One day you may spend hours studying for your Chem final, and the next day you spend the entire day making snow angels and tobogganing with your best friend. Not every day has to be full of conventional productivity, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t getting something important done. However, the most important thing to remember during this busy time of year is to keep it fun and balanced!