For many struggling with anxiety, the holiday season brings an extra dose of worry, stress, and fear. The combination of traveling from home, seeing family, entertaining large crowds and making endless small-talk at office parties can be terrifying for some. For some tips to cope with the added stressors the holidays can bring, keep reading.

• Simplify Wherever You Can
  Eliminate as much stress as by possible by simplifying. Commit to buying everyone on your gift list a gift card or consider donating to your friends’ and family members’ favorite charities. Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper for larger gifts. Put each member of your household in charge of making a dish for holiday feasts.
• Plan, Plan, Plan
  Designate specific days to shop, bake, and see others. By designating certain days to different tasks, you can ensure you have enough time to do everything you want and need to do. Plus, you’ll be less likely to find yourself scrambling around the kitchen on Christmas Eve struggling to cook a full dinner, entertain family, and wrap gifts.
• Stick to Your Budget
  We all know how important budgeting month-to-month is, but we don’t often see holiday budgets. This year, make a gift-giving budget and stick to it.
• Non-Negotiables
  Prioritize a steady sleep schedule, time to relax and time to exercise. Keep in mind that the average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but some people need more to function at their best. Aim to get 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, and don’t forget to carve out time to do something you enjoy for at least 30 minutes every day. By keeping these three aspects of your life non-negotiable, you’ll be more likely to stave off anxiety.
• Steer Clear of Alcohol
  If you’re prone to anxiety, it can seem like having a drink of “holiday cheer” will make you feel better, but this often isn’t the case. Alcohol and other drugs that aren’t prescribed to you can make symptoms of anxiety worse. While a spike in your blood alcohol content level (BAC) may help you feel more relaxed, as soon as it begins to fall – when you begin to sober up – it can make anxiety symptoms worse. Alcohol-induced anxiety can come from as little as one drink and can last hours up to a full day.
• Budget Time to Worry
  Worrying every day is exhausting, and those with anxiety know that best. Each time you find yourself worrying about something, write it down in a journal or on a post-note and deal with it during your scheduled worry time. During these 10 minutes, no more than 15, address these worries and write down reasonable solutions to them. If you don’t get to all of them, address the rest during your next scheduled worry time. By the time you get around to looking at your list, you may find many problems have resolved themselves.
• Say No
  Say no to events you don’t want to attend. Whether it’s due to the pandemic, a lack of time, or a lack of interest, no is always an answer. Be polite but firm when declining an invitation and consider scheduling a virtual gathering, but only if you’re genuinely interested. If you feel forced to make an appearance, stay just long enough for guests to remember you were there, not all night. Accepting an invitation doesn’t have to mean giving up an entire afternoon or night.