It’s the holidays! Which means that, if you’re like most people, you’re more stressed than festive. So I thought this would be a good time to discuss some effective ways to deal with stress – not just during the shop-until-you-cry season, but all year round.
“That sounds great!” you might be saying. “But you don’t know me. So how exactly are you supposed to help me reduce my stress load if you don’t know what’s stressing me in the first place?”
That’s a great question I’m assuming you just asked. And the truth is, I can’t tell you exactly what will work for you because there are a lot of different techniques, and the ones that work best for you might be different than the ones that work best for me.
You can try meditation, which works for a lot of people. Deep breathing is another popular one, which will also keep you alive, so that’s nice. Spending time in nature works for a lot of people, as long as there aren’t any hungry bears nearby. Exercise is another good one – for example, you could run away from a hungry bear. Massage therapy, or engaging in a hobby – I could keep going, but there really are a hundred different options.
I have no idea which ones you’ll choose. But no matter what techniques you try, there are two important things to remember. The first is that all stress management techniques are things that we practice. And like everything else that we practice, we get better at them the more we do them. So the first time you try meditation or deep breathing or a walk in the woods, it might not work very well. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep trying.
Take napping, for example. Taking a break from our stressors and shutting our brains off for a while is a great way to reduce stress. But not everybody can do it very easily. I can, though. In fact, that’s one of my favorites, when I have the chance. And I’ve practiced it almost to perfection. I can lay down on the couch, set a timer for 15 minutes, close my eyes, fall asleep, have a dream, and wake up refreshed before the timer goes off.
“I hate you,” you’re probably saying now. And if so, I understand. Mine is an enviable superpower. But you can do it too, if you actually decide to practice it.
The second thing that all stress management techniques have in common in this – they all remove us from the things causing our stress. Sometimes they remove us physically, sometimes mentally, and sometimes both. Which means that in order to take advantage of all the stress reduction tools at our disposal, you first need to give yourself permission to occasionally step away from whatever is causing us stress.
“That’s easy to say, you smug little jerk. I’m not stressed because I want to be. I’m stressed because I have a million things I need to do.”
If that sounds like you, then I get it. And I’m not asking you to stop taking care of anything. I’m asking you to start taking care of yourself. I’m asking you to recognize that removing yourself from stressful things, even briefly, will allow you to return to those things renewed, refreshed, and probably more productively. And if five or ten or even thirty minutes of stress reduction techniques can help us eliminate ten or thirty or sixty minutes of inefficient stress-filled wheel-spinning, then that’s a trade worth making.
For a lot of us, just getting started is the hardest part. Once we clear that hurdle, choosing to engage in activities that help manage and reduce our stress tends to get easier and easier. And if you somehow try every stress management technique you can think of and nothing seems to work, then you may need to seek the help of a professional psychologist or therapist – which, by the way, is another stress reduction technique, because talking to a professional is you choosing to take care of yourself and temporarily remove yourself from the things causing your stress.
Thanks for reading, and have a great 2025!
This article is adapted from our Mental Well-Being Course available on LevityUniversity.com and other popular Content Libraries.
I look forward to these timely and helpful newsletters. Jeff has a wonderful way of providing insightful information in an engaging, humorous manner. Keep them coming!
Thanks for the note Gary! Appreciate you!
Love this post, Jeff! It’s all true – except the part about you being a “smug little jerk”! I never thought about the simple fact of just getting away from the stressor. You are so right, the trade-off is worth it. Around this time of year, I forget to step away and it can build in a very unhealthy way. Keep up the good work and the sensible advice!
Well I’m glad you think better of me:) And glad this resonated with you. Happy Holidays to you Karen!