The holiday season—often regarded as one of the most cheerful times of the year—is full of parties, celebrations, and other gatherings with family and friends. However, for those of us with already hectic schedules, the holiday season presents the daunting challenge of adding shopping, cooking, parties, celebrations, and family get-togethers to our already busy lives. Such demands can often cause us to feel burnt out as we try our best to tackle such a massive to-do list.

Fortunately, there are strategies to manage holiday stress, avoid burnout, and enjoy some holiday cheer.

Pause and prioritize:

Despite our best efforts, many of us are unable to accomplish every single task on our holiday itinerary. There are simply too many things to do, and not enough time to do them all—and that is okay! When we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed with our holiday to-do list, we must take time to pause and prioritize what is most meaningful to ourselves. Some of us may enjoy baking holiday treats, going out to evening dinner parties, or taking the family out of town for a holiday getaway. Some of us may despise baking or prefer a quiet night in for some peace of mind. Regardless of what it may be, pause and prioritize what you would like to do this holiday season.

Saying “no” is okay:

The holiday season often comes with countless favors and party invitations from family and friends. While it can be an excellent feeling to spread holiday cheer by addressing those favors and attending those parties, we must try not to do so at the expense of our well-being. It is important for us to recognize our limits and say “no” to any requests that could later prove to be too demanding. Most of our family and friends will likely understand if we cannot tend to every single occasion!

Manage expectations of the holidays:

Nearly all of us have an idealistic vision of how the holiday season will turn out, but burnout may arise when reality fails to live up to our visions. It is important for us to recognize that no holiday celebration or planning will be genuinely perfect, despite what the over-commercialized holiday advertisements may lead us to think! There may be some unspoken hostility between us and that one guest we reluctantly invited. That expensive ham we are responsible for bringing to the party may burn beyond saving. Our in-laws may dislike the gift we delicately picked out for them. Ultimately, there are bound to be a plethora of trials and tribulations during the holiday season, so we must strive to keep our expectations realistic and make the best of any shortcomings we may endure.

Plan time to recover:

Let’s face it… even if we try our best to manage our time, priorities, and expectations of the holidays, we may still find ourselves ridiculously tired and burnt out. For the holiday season, it is crucial for us to make plenty of time for downtime! Whether it is spent sitting with our friends and family, tending to our favorite hobby, having a night in, or even sleeping, most of us will find that sufficient time to recover during the holiday season will make the process of getting through the holiday season all the merrier. What will you do to recover this holiday season?

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Remember to pause and prioritize, say “no” when you need to, manage expectations, and map out some recovery time to protect your well-being! With these strategies in mind, we can have a solid defense against holiday burnout this year and in the years to come. Lastly, while these strategies can assist you in keeping holiday burnout at bay, they cannot replace professional help. Our therapists at Pacific CBT are here to happily help you with your holiday burnout! Contact us today to schedule a free 15-minute video consultation.

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