Holiday Stress Busters
As holiday music chimes in the background and the
aromas of your favorite meal fill the house, all seems
as peaceful as the hush after a freshly fallen snow.
Rarely however is the reality of the season that serene.
You shop, decorate, clean, wrap, bake, and cook yourself
into frenzy, and then wonder where all the time has
gone.
HelpNet, a department at Battle Creek Health System
providing employee assistance programs (EAPs) to the
business and industry community offers this advice
to help reduce the stressors that can threaten your
holiday's good cheer.
Stressor #1: LONG LINES
Try taking all your purchases to a less crowded register
near the back of the store. Or look for ones on the
left side of the store-most people finish their shopping
at the right side, near the entrance.
Having said that, you will no doubt be stuck in lines
at some time during the shopping season. So rather
than fume at the check-fumblers and the people with
20 items in the 12-items-or-fewer lane, pause, breathe
deeply, and compose a holiday e-mail in your mind to
your favorite person. Keep your spirits up by using
the time in line to reflect on a happy life experience.
Divert your thoughts from negatives to positives.
Stressor #2: CRABBY STORE CLERKS
If anything takes the ho-ho-ho out of the holidays,
it is overworked, grumpy store clerks. Immunize yourself
because mean-spirited cashiers can be contagious.
Instead of being critical, try being sympathetic
to them. Tell them you understand how difficult their
job is, and thank them for doing it. Give them a
smile; it will make you both feel better.
Stressor #3: OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS
Children are like puppies--they are noisy, adventurous,
and want to check out strange surroundings. When
they become bored, they can be destructive too. Try
to give them a room in which to play with toys, movies,
or an art box filled with construction paper, scissors,
and decals. Those will occupy them for hours. If
you are standing in line at a store and the child
begins to fuss in the cart ahead of you, smile or
make faces at them.
Stressor #4: MONEY
Don't be surprised--the gift list is always bigger
than the checkbook balance. This year vow to spend
within your means. The average family carries about
$9,000 on credit cards. That's a pretty steep price
to pay to impress others. Instead, concentrate on
thoughtful giving, not lavish spending. Make a note
when someone mentions a novel she would like to read
or an old movie he has never seen. And agree to a
gift moratorium with your spouse, immediate family,
or friends. Exchange homemade cookies or candies
instead. Offer a gift of your time to help someone
who might need a little break from family duties.
Stressor #5: COOKING FOR COMPANY
Believe it or not, even Martha Stewart can become stressed
and snippy. So why not buy prepared foods and dress
them up before company arrives. Add cream cheese
and a teaspoon of vanilla to a sugar cookie mix making
it taste like 'made-from-scratch.' While you are
at it, make five batches and freeze them separately.
For that Norman Rockwellian moment, defrost and roll
out the dough when guests arrive. Microwave mashed
potatoes and add butter and sour cream. Convince
your Aunt Hilma that your cranberry sauce is from
scratch by combining canned and whole cranberries;
heat in a saucepan, add fresh mint, pecans, and teaspoon
of maple syrup. And go almost dishwasher free until
New Year's by stocking up on festive disposable paper
plates, cutlery, cups, and napkins. What is left
can be used on Valentine's Day or the Fourth of July.
To reduce the amount of stress, remember that holidays
are times for reflection, recreation, and relaxation.
Expect some minor glitches in your normal routines,
that way, when they occur, you will not be too surprised.
Planning to take things a little less serious will
go a long way in making this holiday season better
than you had ever hoped.
For more information about reducing your life's stress,
call HelpNet at (269) 660-3900.
Battle Creek Health System, sponsored by two parent
organizations--Trinity Health (the fourth largest Catholic
health system in the U.S. with 21 hospitals, 9 nursing
homes, 19 senior house facilities, 8 home health care
agencies, and 4 hospices in Michigan alone) and BCHS
Community Partners, is accredited by the Joint Commission
on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Battle
Creek Health System, a member of the Mercy Cancer Network,
is a recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Orthopaedic
Surgery Excellence Award(tm) and 2010 Five Star rated
for joint replacement surgery and total knee replacement.
HealthGrades is a leading health care information company
that provides objective 'report card' ratings nationwide.
BCHS provides excellent health care for the community
and promotes wellness for the whole person with access
and compassion for all. For the latest medical information,
visit the BCHS web site at www.bchealth.com or call
the BCHS Marketing Department at (269) 966-8132.
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