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. 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.