Stress | Lets Talk Psychological Wellness

Economic concerns

With trouble in the banking and financial industries (that we haven’t seen since 2008), high inflation, and an overpriced housing market, concerns about the economy are undoubtedly contributing to our stress and anxiety.

We worry if the savings we have are safe. We stress about how long it will take us to feel secure enough to invest in a home. And, of course, with a swift end coming to the Covid-era student loan pause, 3.75 million millennials (who owe between $20,000- $40,000 on average) have yet another payment to factor into their budgets.

While there is a lot about these economic circumstances that we can’t control, there are ways to decrease this source of stress and anxiety. Get in touch with the places that you have a monthly payment with (think car loans, mortgages, medical bills, etc.) and ask about a deferment option or any hardship clauses available.

Worries about work

Whether you were hoping to pursue a new career or are concerned about the continuous mass layoffs, job security is definitely something that might be keeping you up at night.

But even if you’re planning on staying put at your current company, with the rise of working from home, it’s getting harder to navigate the expectations for when work stops and being at home starts. If you worry about finding the balance between your work life and home life, you aren’t the only one.

There are several ways to help ease these stresses and anxieties. Start off by making sure there is clear communication with your manager and team at work. You might assume they have certain expectations that aren’t realistic for you (even though you work remotely), but that might now actually be the case. After clearing up the expectations, it’s time for you to set and enforce boundaries. For example, if you’re off of work at 5 pm and you’ve clarified that the expectation is to log off at that time, resist the urge to send just one more message or respond to one more email.

What can you do?

Our modern world has made leaps and bounds in technology, healthcare, and the way we do life and business. But even better than that, in this day and age, society is accepting that mental health is health.

While there is still much to be done by advocating and educating about mental health conditions, the fact that people are willing to have these conversations makes a major difference. And even though millennials are diagnosed with mental health conditions more and more often, some of that is related to the fact that more and more people are seeking help.

Feeling stressed out and living with anxiety is a common experience, but that doesn’t mean you have to live the rest of your life that way. Focus on the things that are in your control, like making self-care a part of your daily routine or even seeking support from a therapist or mental health counselor.

Our therapists here at Let’s Talk Psychological Wellness are committed to helping manage your stress and anxiety. Learn new coping strategies and how to set boundaries. Call, text, or email us.

If you found value in this article, consider sharing it on your favorite platform and tag us!

If you liked this topic, you’ll also enjoy reading about:

While we may be amidst the most holly-jolly time of the year, it doesn’t mean that it’s the easiest. Cookie decorating, tree trimming, and family gatherings are only a few of the things you might be expected to show up for this holiday season. But unfortunately, for some, showing up is much more stressful than joyful.

Whether it’s some unresolved, long-standing family issue, or, every time you get the gang together, there seems to be turmoil, it doesn’t mean you have to white-knuckle it through the season. So how do you strengthen relationships amid holiday stress, or at the very least, have a pleasant experience? Practicing mindfulness, setting boundaries, and checking in emotionally, can make a world of difference.

Importance of Mindfulness During the Holiday Season

Regardless of what state your relationships are in during the holidays, the chaos (even joyful chaos) tends to strain even the best relationships. But never fear, mindfulness is a great way to combat this from the start. So, let’s start off with the most important part of practicing mindfulness–defining what it is to be mindful.

What is mindfulness?

Mental health counselor, Zainah Ben Essa, talks about mindfulness as essentially the act of fully being present in action, thought, or emotion.” She adds, “By being present in this way, you are more self-aware and can give yourself the time or space you need.”

Maintaining this level of mindfulness and awareness is especially crucial when dealing with complicated family dynamics, or people you don’t truly care to see.

How mindfulness eases stress

When you quiet your mind and focus on the moment you’re in, you physically slow down the part of your brain that controls stress levels. Olivia Verhulst, a licensed mental health counselor, reminds us of the many different benefits that come with mindfulness in addition to reducing stress. “Mindfulness encourages many other mental health benefits ranging from increasing self-awareness to improving emotional regulation, and more.”

Ways to practice mindfulness during the holiday season

Even with the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s important to make time to slow down. Sometimes when we’re bouncing from one activity to another, we forget to take time to stop and breathe. Olivia suggests an easy way to build this into your busy day. “A good place to start is with three small breathing breaks into your workday, for about three to five minutes at a time,” she says.

How to Manage Your Stress this Holiday

There are many things that you might find stressing you out this holiday season that involve your relationships with friends, family, work, and romantic partners alike. Hosting events, overscheduling your family and yourself, or trying to keep up with every single person’s demands will leave you overwhelmed.

Curbing your people-pleasing tendencies during this time of year is easier said than done. But creating and communicating boundaries, enriching connections, and putting quality time front and center will help you stress less and strengthen your relationships.

Create and communicate clear boundaries

During the holidays, and every other time of year, be clear about your boundaries in all your relationships (professional and otherwise). You’re in control of the interactions you have. “Communicating clearly leads to positive interactions, but if someone chooses not to respect them, there are consequences you can enforce,” Zainah adds.

Maybe you don’t keep speaking with them, or choose to not attend events they’re involved with, or maybe, you told your boss no, I’m not signing on for a quick meeting. Decrease your stress around the holidays by setting these boundaries. It’s up to the people you’re interacting with to abide by them.

Enrich connections

There is no such thing as a dull moment around the holiday times. There is always somewhere to be and shopping to be done. But our time and attention are some of the greatest gifts we can give to people in our lives.

Olivia speaks to this when she talks about prioritizing our relationships. After all, spending time with those who bring us joy is a great way to stave off stress. “Prioritizing our partner can look like adding intention to our quality time. Being intentional and present during your quality time with others can deepen connections . Which yes, means cutting down on other distractions like screen time, which can add to stress in itself.”

At the end of the day, managing your stress this holiday season might feel impossible. But it all starts with strengthening all the relationships in your life, including the relationship you have with yourself. Go ahead, choose yourself, and self-care this holiday season. Because when you are better grounded, your relationships are stronger for it.

Our therapists here at Let’s Talk Psychological Wellness are committed to helping you manage your stress during the holidays and throughout the rest of the year. Feel confident and secure in your relationships. Call, text, or email us.