Are you feeling the Holiday Spirit?

Psychological Wellbeing Leading Up to the Festive Season

This year, more than ever, the seasonal holidays are hotly anticipated. Celebrating the holidays and saying goodbye to the year of 2020 is something I'm sure we are all looking forward to. However, it is not quite over yet. There is still a lot to juggle in the lead up - end of year work and school commitments, parties, shopping, cooking, family obligations, cleaning and entertaining, and added financial pressures, just to name a few. Overlay the added pressure of travel restrictions and considerations, missing family members and loved ones, and this year's festive season is proving more challenging than ever. But help is at hand.

Below we have revisited part of our previous article ‘Tips to Prevent Christmas Stress’ because we feel it is particularly relevant for the 2020 festive season. In addition to this, we are sharing some tips on resilience and how best to bounce back in the new year and set yourself up for wellbeing.

Leading up to the holidays we can be managing a lot of stress from many different sources; closing up shop or projects, planning for events, coping with stressful social situations, you name it. Here are a few tips we suggest to minimize stress and get the most out of your well-deserved break.

1. Acknowledge your feelings – Whatever woes this past year has brought, or if you have found yourself cut off from your family and friends this year due to restrictions, its important to acknowledge any negative feelings. It’s OK to feel sad and it is OK to express your emotions and take time to process them.

2. Reach out – If you’re feeling alone this Christmas seek out community, religious or social events. You can find support here and volunteering can often help you make new friends and feel apart of a group. You are never alone, and there are plenty of people who face similar challenges this year. Reach out and ensure you are feeling connected this holiday season.

3. Be flexible – Be open to changing traditions and creating new, and maybe even better ones. We might find many of the ways we do Christmas this year will be different. If 2020 has taught us anything it is to let go of things we can’t control. What's a new family tradition that can be embraced or something that can be a silver lining out of 2020?

4. Maintain healthy habits - It is important over the festive season to maintain good food and exercise habits. Try not to consume too much alcohol or processed foods. These foods are low in nutrition and contribute to feelings of stress and depression. Also, continue to get plenty of sleep and physical activity. General wellbeing is important to help maintain resilience and a positive mindset.

5. Seek professional help if you need it – You may find sadness or anxiousness persisting despite your best efforts. If you do, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. Don't battle through on your own.

There are some valuable insights in Martin Seligman’s PERMA model, to help you build resilience and cope with stressful situations. This model is comprised of five elements that help promote well-being and boosts your resilience. See what you can incorporate into your day to day and set yourself up for a positive and optimistic 2021.

The PERMA model can be incorporated into your working life in small ways every day.

(P)ositive - Break the day & week up so that you can recharge and get some positive emotions in there as well.

(E)ngage - Make sure you are doing some things that are uplifting and engaging; something fun and a bit

of an outlet; otherwise you are giving energy to everyone else and not replenishing yours.

(R)elationships - Invest in your relationships. Your most important personal relationships & relationships with colleagues play a valuable role in contributing to our resilience and well-being.

(M)eaning - Connect with your meaning and be reminded of why you do what you do. This connection

with meaning helps our resilience in the most challenging situations, and it also makes it easier

for your team or your friends to join and support you.

(A)chievements - Track and be mindful of your achievements. Working remotely can have less feedback

and markers of what you achieve, so sometimes you need to ‘be your own cheerleader’ and note the things you have achieved through your work and throughout the year past. Be proud of your achievements and take the time to celebrate them.

FURTHER SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE - Please contact us at info@incorporatepsychology.com.au or contact 07 3852 2441 if we can support you during this festive season and help set you up for success in the new year.