The holidays are upon us; no matter what you celebrate, stress often comes with the season. Construction tends to slow down, and factors like finances, family, and shorter, darker days can take a toll on workers. To help you navigate these challenges, we’ve compiled some tips and tools to support you during tough times.
Practice Gratitude (Not just during Thanksgiving)
Try writing down one thing you’re grateful for each day for a week. Gratitude involves acknowledging the good things in your life. Our brains are wired to focus on problems to help us survive and learn from mistakes. However, this can sometimes lead us down a spiral of self-criticism. Practicing gratitude helps challenge that spiral, allowing us to take back control of our thoughts.
Some might look at the idea of gratitude to help with stress and think, “Can I just have something stronger than that, please?” But science supports the connection between practicing gratitude and increased life satisfaction. Research conducted at UC Davis and the University of Miami found that people who practiced gratitude were significantly happier than those who didn’t. Reducing stress can be as simple as recognizing positive actions, even if it feels cheesy, so don’t knock it till you try it! We created a toolbox to make it a little less awkward! Check out the video toolbox talk here!
Gratitude Can Reduce Holiday Loneliness and Isolation
Gratitude can also help combat loneliness, which many experience during the holiday season. Loneliness can be isolating and hard in the winter, often leading to symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Check out our Toolbox Talk on loneliness for more ways to manage these feelings.
Breathing Exercises
In addition to gratitude, consider practicing breathing exercises to manage stress—not just during the holidays, but all year round. Check out our video Toolbox Talks to learn simple techniques that can make a big difference. Stay tuned for more resources as we continue adding to our series!
Booziest Time of the Year
The holidays can be particularly challenging for those in recovery or trying to cut back on alcohol. It often feels like alcohol is everywhere this time of year. However, excessive alcohol consumption comes with consequences—binge drinking and heavy drinking can severely affect both your physical and mental health. Peer pressure during holiday events can make it even harder to maintain sobriety or reduce drinking. Lastly, we know that excessive and binge drinking increases feelings of depression and anxiety.
So, here are some tips to help you have a healthy and happy holiday season:
- Plan Ahead: Have an exit strategy for situations where peer pressure or overwhelm might occur.
- Avoid Drinking Triggers: Identify environments and scenarios that encourage binge drinking and steer clear of them.
- Try Non-Alcoholic Options: Explore the growing variety of tasty mocktails and non-alcoholic beers. Here are some delicious mocktail recipes to try during the holidays!
- Practice the 3-3-3 Rule: Identify 3 things you can see, 3 things you can hear, and 3 ways you can move your body. This grounding exercise can help bring you back to the present moment, reducing anxiety.
- Share Tips to Drink Less This Holiday Season: Our partners at Rethink The Drink created a flyer to poster with some ideas.
Check out OHA’s Rethink the Drink initiative for more resources and support!
We hope these tips and resources will support you through the holiday season and beyond. Remember, you’re not alone—we’re here to help!
