Coping With Holiday Stress

The holiday season adds a variety of stress to our lives. Time, money, energy and expectations are the problem areas this time of year. It's easy to become sad and stressed if your family isn't like the one on Hallmark cards, says psychologist Elizabeth Carll on The Early Show.

When the fantasy of the holidays we see on TV and in magazines collides with reality, it can cause emotional problems. Everything this time of year becomes heightened and magnified. When you are under stress, you take things more personally, she adds.

To prevent an emotional meltdown during the holidays, there are strategies to help manage the added stress. Once you figure out where the problem areas are, you can begin to address them.

Here are some ways to cope with stress:

• Prioritize your time and don't include too many events into too little time. That might mean turning down invitations. People often try to fit too much into their schedule during the holidays.
• Don't take on more than you can handle. All of the gift-buying, cooking, baking, visiting and planning that goes into a holiday season amounts to a lot of work. Delegate tasks to other family members. Chores like baking, shopping, and picking up relatives for Christmas dinner are easier if shared.
• Budget time for yourself. Maintain exercise routines and time out to keep mentally fresh. Life isn't a steady stream of holiday parties with a splash of reality. Plan social engagements ahead of time.
• Limit spending. The crunch of last minute shopping for that perfect gift can result in spending overload. Love is not how much we spend on a gift. Large and overdue credit card bills will surely create post holiday stress.
• Don't choose the holidays as a time to confront interpersonal issues with your family members. Sometimes people expect the setting of a cozy family gathering to smooth over a lot of relationship issues, but the regular stress of life doesn't go away during the holiday season.
• Respect individual needs and not take things personally. Coping with loss can make the holidays a difficult time. Those who are coping with the loss of a loved one during the holidays may not feel in a festive mood or choose not to attend a get-together.