How to fight stress this holiday season

‘Tis the season for feeling overwhelmed. 

If, amid the holiday magic and year-end traditions, you’re realizing how stressed you feel, you’re certainly not alone. On top of end-of-year work deadlines, many of us are juggling social engagements, holiday traditions, and family obligations. It can feel like a lot of pressure.

But there are things you can do now to help ensure that these final weeks of 2024 are filled with joy and whatever matters most to you.

Make a plan

This season comes with a lot of small but important tasks. And they can be easy to forget (or get overwhelmed by) if you don’t take a bit of time to write them out and make a plan. 

Starting early can help cut down on stress. “Make a list of any relevant tasks such as presents to buy, cards to send, activities to plan, or other miscellaneous activities like wrapping gifts or stringing lights,” writes contributor Elizabeth Grace Saunders. That includes developing a plan at work if you’re planning to take PTO before the end of the year.

Emphasize connection, but don’t give into FOMO

One of the best things about the end of the year is the opportunity to connect and reflect with others. Maybe that means gathering with friends and family, or attending a workplace party, or volunteering in your community.

Scheduling time to celebrate with others can give us something to look forward to and make it feel less like the holidays are rushing by. But these commitments can also get overwhelming. Rather than agreeing to every event out of a sense of FOMO, look over your schedule and think about which events you actually want to attend. (Also: It’s really okay to politely decline an invite to that potluck you’ve been dreading. Research suggests that people tend to overestimate the negative consequences of saying no to an invitation.) 

Stop comparing yourself to others

Now is the time to prioritize what’s most important to you, and let go of the rest, Cara Houser tells writer Stephanie Vozza. “The rush and overwhelm of this season create a sense of urgency, which feels real,” says Houser, author of Burned Out to Lit Up: Ditch the Grind and Reclaim Your Life. “It’s also a little bit false. It makes us feel like we’re stuck doing all the things we’ve always done.” 

So it’s okay if you don’t get everything done. There are only so many hours in the day. Rather than comparing yourself to others—or obsessing about whatever you accomplished last year—ask yourself: What do you actually care about doing this year? What will make you feel as though you’ve taken advantage of the holidays? How will it make you feel? Who will it involve? 

With some planning—and a bit of honest reflection—you can ditch (at least some of) the usual holiday anxiety and burnout.