By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA
“It’s the most wonderful time of the
year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you be of good cheer
It’s the most wonderful time of the year”
~Song by Andy Williams
The earth is completing another trip around the sun and the
holiday season is rapidly approaching.
It is a time of the year when we are forced out of our daily routine and
thrust into glitz and glamor of the holidays.
Regardless of your culture or religious background, business as usual is
cast aside and festivities abound in our homes, workplaces, and
communities. In many ways, it’s the most
wonderful time of the year, however, along with excitement comes expectations,
obligations, and stress.
It’s the most stressful time of the year
Intrinsic to the holiday season are both internal and
external sources of stress, however, taking time to plan and prepare will
enable you to bypass many of the frazzled moments that commonly accompany
festivities. Like it or not, we are
creatures of habit and being forced out of a routine is known to cause anxiety
and frustration. Holiday obligations
disrupt the status quo and take time away from normal activities. Gatherings with the family or workgroup
require proper attire, hair, makeup, childcare, not to mention the hostess gift
and the dessert tray. In addition,
children have holiday events at school that conflict with a busy work schedule
and cause guilt if you ask for time off or guilt if you don’t.
My podcast interview with Cathy Horvath, DNP, CRNA and Chair of the AANA Wellness committee exposed the extent to which healthcare workers are feeling stressed. Her statistics reveal that 77% of our colleagues report frustration and exhaustion related to their work and 45-55% report feelings of stress and anxiety on a frequent basis. Even more telling, 50% of healthcare workers report feelings of depression with 13% stating that they have had suicidal feelings. The numbers are alarming, and the stress only increases during the holiday season.
Thinking that the workplace will provide a haven from the
chaos at home may lead to disappointment when work does not provide the escape
that is desired. Typically, patients have reached maximum co-pay by the end of
the year and are in a rush to get procedures done before the ball drops in
Times Square. The case load is high,
the vacation calendar is full, and your work hours are longer just as you have
a million other things to do. Yes, it’s
a stressful time of the year.
The Mayo
Clinic healthy lifestyle blog identifies the holiday season as a potential
source of significant stress and advises that we become attuned to our feelings
and acknowledge them. In addition, they
recommend that we remain realistic by not abandoning healthy habits and by saying
“no” to set boundaries. The
Johns Hopkins wellness blog advises that we keep sight of what really
counts and always respond with kindness, even when stressed. Building on the theme of reducing stress, author
Kaleigh Carter notes the importance of physical activity, meditation, and
sleep during the busy holiday season.
Regardless of the source that you reference, all agree that the holiday
season is stressful and that a combination of anticipation, planning, and
preparation will make the stress manageable…and may even re-infuse fun into
your life.
Practical tips for managing holiday stress
Ramp up your self-care. A healthy body is the first line of defense
against stress and your body’s basic requirements don’t change with the
season. Put differently, the body does not
need more calories and less sleep during the holiday season. Taking charge of the body’s basic needs
requires focus, discipline, and commitment.
Self-control is empowering.
- Nutrition. The body’s basic need for high quality fuel does not change just because holiday parties are on the calendar. Essential nutrients are still required, and harmful foods are still harmful. Unless you become a mega-cardio gym rat, your calorie requirements remain the same during the holidays and extra food volume will give you extra work to do when “lose weight” appears on your New Year’s resolution list. Go heavy on fruits and vegetables while limiting foods that are high in fat and salt.
- Exercise. Keep moving and don’t let distractions pull you away from your exercise time. Participate in outdoor activities when the weather permits and move indoors when the snow flies. A gym membership offers the opportunity for a social aspect to your workout. Buy a mat and use online programs at home to assist with stretching, yoga, and meditation.
- Sleep. When things get hectic, it’s easy to sacrifice a few hours of sleep, however over time the lack of sleep will take its toll. Get into a bedtime routine and allow your body to relax by quietly reading or meditating before retiring for the day. Keep a regular schedule that ensures the proper amount of sleep.
- Seek the sun. Seasonal affective disorder is described in the DSM5 as depression related to a lack of exposure to the sun. Military personnel returning from duty in Alaska will affirm the negative effects caused by the long periods of darkness during the winter months. Similarly, OR personnel drive to and from work in the dark during the holiday season with little opportunity for sun exposure. Be creative, walk to a different area of the building, find a sunny spot for your lunch, and you’ll get the added benefit of exercise.
- Take a break. Rather than slurping coffee on the run, plan a mid-day break into your schedule. Get out of the lunchroom and leave the gossip to others. Plan a 5-minute walking route that includes going up and down one flight of stairs and passes through a sunny location along the way. Be creative and find a quiet location to put a mat on the floor and do some stretches at work. Both your mind and body will thank you.
Anticipate and prepare for external stressors
It’s always easiest to pick the low hanging fruit and taking
care of oneself physically is easier than dealing with all the external
expectations/obligations of the holiday season, however, by setting goals and
limits you can develop a plan to minimize stress. Here are some holiday stresses that may emerge
from the festivities and knock you off track.
Social gatherings with the workgroup and/or your family. Receiving an invitation to the annual office
party or family holiday gathering gives you a sense of inclusion and the
expectation of a joyful evening. The
invitation also creates an obligation to add another item to your already
packed schedule. Time, effort, and money
are required to get the right attire, arrange childcare and put together a
hostess gift. Once at the party, high
calorie food is abundant and alcohol flows freely, both are challenges to your
commitment for self-care. Here are a few
tips.
- Eat a small amount of healthy food before going
to the party so that you are not ravenous when you arrive. At the party, commit to sampling a few items
rather than filling your plate several times with high calorie, high salt,
food. “All you can eat” does not mean
eat all you can.
- Drink alcohol slowly and commit to alternating
each alcohol drink with a non-alcohol drink.
- Make it about the people, not the
food/alcohol. You work with these people
daily, but do you really know them?
Challenge yourself to learn something new about each person at the
party. As you talk to colleagues, remind
yourself of something that they do particularly well or something about them
that you are grateful for.
Financial obligations. We criticize congress when they pass a budget
and then spend millions of additional dollars for “off budget” items. Often, during the holiday season we imitate our
government, throw caution to the wind, and throw “off budget” money at gifts
and parties. Establish a reasonable
budget for the holidays and stick to it.
Find low-cost activities such as a family hike through the woods to
replace the high dollar trip to the theater complete with twenty-dollar
popcorn. Make a hostess gift such as an
ornament rather than buying an expensive bottle of wine. When you finish buying gifts for the family,
be finished. That one extra gift or
stocking stuffer for each member of the family can add another $100 to the cost
of the holidays. The bottom line is that
unlike the Federal Government, you must pay your bills so pull the reigns and
spend wisely.
Create good cheer and positive vibes for the Holiday
season
The holiday season is a time for gift giving and the best gift that you can give yourself is an organized, low stress month filled with pleasant memories. Your internal dialogue sets the tone, and an optimistic and proactive attitude are building blocks for success. Start and end each day by practicing gratitude and think of three things that you are grateful for. The activity will reduce your negativity bias and help to remove the feeling of being victimized by the holidays.
The bottom line is that in addition to being the most wonderful time of the year, the holiday season can also be the most stressful time of the year. Be mindful of the tips put forth by Cathy Horvath in the podcast and use a combination of self-help activities, planning, and an optimistic mindset to set reasonable boundaries and ensure a memorable Holiday season.
Click here for the podcast with Cathy Horvath, DNP, CRNA
Tom is an
experienced leader, educator, author, and requested speaker. Click here for a
video introduction to Tom’s talk topics.