A business holiday can be that much needed break away. Here’s how you make the most of it.
1.Set an intention
Set your mind as to what you want to do. You might want to host a party or take a vacation. And you might want to be calmer, a better listener or more present with their families.
When acting on your intention, try to find simple, less stressful solutions. If you really want to host a party, but feel drained just thinking about it, have a potluck instead. You get what you want, minus the stress.
2.Have realistic expectations.
Come holiday season we tend to assume that our naughty kids will transform into little angels and our always-fighting families will become the Brady Bunch. But if [your relatives] haven’t gotten along for the other months of the year, why will the holidays be any different? We also put a lot of pressure on ourselves to pull off the perfect holiday, with just the right gifts, food, decorations and so on. But setting excessive and unrealistic expectations only leads to dissatisfaction and distress and leaves you missing out.
3. Have a plan for potentially tense situations.
With some relatives we know exactly how a get-together will play out, because it’s happened year after year…after year. What can help in minimizing conflict is to create a plan about how you’ll react. Foresee demanding situations you might come across and be prepared with a few words to help uphold a sense of calm.
4. Maintain some of your routines.
Many people tend to get stressed when their routines are broken, which happens often during the holidays. Keep some of your grounding rituals in the mix, such as daily fitness [and] getting enough sleep. These activities give you more energy and are key stress relievers.
5. Create an environment of calm.
We also suggest creating a sense of calm in your different environments. For instance, play calm music at home, in your car or at work. Have objects that relax you, too, such as scented candles. Forget about work, for once and relax in the company of good friends and family.
6. Have fun activities planned for get-togethers.
Since holiday guests can be a source of stress for people, plan very simple and pleasurable activities with your more ‘challenging’ relatives and you may find the relationship flows much easier in that moment since you’re both having fun.