‘Tis The Season For Stress
Everyone knows that the holiday season is stressful. This is the time of year when family responsibilities, work expectations, the New Hampshire weather, our social calendars and some realistic expectations we might have, combine to create a toxic environment in our work and our lives.
What you may not know is that the stress you feel is actually well documented in the research. A myriad of studies over the last few years has revealed some interesting facts about the “most wonderful time of the year.”
For example, the U.S. ranks highest in the world for seasonal stress? It seems that although other countries throughout the world have holiday traditions and celebrations, we have the distinction of piling on the stress best at the holidays as measured by stress related illness and heart disease.
And, do you remember the nearly devastating stress that Scrooge helped inflict upon his underling, Bob Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol?” Remember how Cratchit, was worried sick about trying to meet the demands of an unrelenting boss while balancing the illness of his son and the pressure to provide a holiday for his family? Where stress is concerned, according to the research, Dickens knew what he was talking about.
One recent study of holiday stress among US employees indicated holiday stress has a higher impact upon lower income and middle income workers, workers who are like Cratchit and a growing number of us whose status is being changed by the current economic climate. Worries about money, illness and workload increase particularly among subordinate workers as opposed to bosses and supervisors during this time of year. So even though Scrooge was having bad dreams, Cratchit was the one really feeling the seasonal stress.
There is also considerable evidence that workplace stress increases during this time of the year. Just because we have some time away from work doesn’t mean that work associated stress is minimized. Many people use their time off to worry about what they left sitting on their desk.
Another factor contributing to seasonal stress is that our behavior changes during the holidays. Studies indicate that people in the U.S. become more sedentary during this season and tend to manage stress by watching TV, sleeping, eating and drinking. It is the season of comfort eating and alcohol binging which takes a toll on all of our stress regulating systems.
And, while we’re piling on the reasons so many of us feel holiday stress, let’s not forget those family gatherings. Our personal expectations, our painful childhood memories and old emotional scars, and our personal myths about how the “perfect” family would act at the “perfect” holiday time, combine to insure that many of us will be disappointed.
So, what can we, the Bob Cratchit’s of the world, do (short of waiting for our Scrooges to change their behavior which might happen when a certain very warm region freezes over)?
We can’t control the New Hampshire weather that complicates our stress by causing us to get less sun shine and contributes to our sedateness, but the research does indicate some clear guidelines to help us manage our seasonal stress.
- Forget about perfection. Some of our stress is self-induced, fueled by a constant barrage of media that provides an unrealistic portrait of work and family holiday life. Do what you can, do what makes you feel good about yourself, and create your own standards. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate.
- Increase instead of abandoning healthy habits. With a bit more time off, there is more time to get outdoors, exercise or simply spend time with yourself. Be moderate in your consumption and you will help moderate your stress.
- Find meaning without money. The holidays could become a time of giving random acts of kindness rather than expensive gifts. The research shows that volunteering, sharing time in person with forgotten friends or loved ones, or simply doing something nice for a neighbor or a stranger is not only stress reducing, but literally good for your heart.
- Learn to decline. Many jobs increase production at this time of year and many people take extended vacation time, so often employers look to who is left to fill in. Do your share, but don’t get taken advantage of at work. Know when to say no to extra duties and overtime.
- Live within your means. We are experiencing the worst economic downturn for quite some time. This is the year to not give in to the pressure to use credit to buy things that will quickly become just more objects gathering dust. Don’t succumb to the constant barrage of advertising designed to make you feel guilty if you don’t buy more stuff for yourself and your family.
- Play with friends, coworkers and family. A sense of play, of humor, and of fun has been clearly shown to mitigate stressful situations. Plan time to do things that just make everyone laugh.
- Count your blessings and try to be hopeful. In spite of everything, the New Year has always been a symbol of hope. There has been a lot of talk going around about hope, and optimistic or hopeful attitudes can reduce stress. What has gone right this past year? What do those experiences tell you about what you have to look forward to?
Here’s my wish: that each of you have success at work, a healthy family and some balance between the two!!!
By Dr. Malcolm Smith, Family Life and Family Policy Specialist with UNH Cooperative Extension, and teaching in the UNH Family Studies Program. He can be reached at (603) 862-7008, or email: malcolm.smith@unh.edu