Health Plan of San Joaquin | Focus Your Health | Winter 2019

Standard U.S. Postage PAID Merced, CA Permit No. 1186 5 tips for happier holidays This year, give yourself the best holiday gift ever: more magical moments and fewer frazzled ones. Here are five ways to make this year’s celebrations high on joy and low on stress. 1 Moderate your expecta- tions. Chasing after perfect get-togethers can create the perfect storm of stress. It’s OK if your guests arrive while you’re setting the table or if the sweater you bought for your cousin is the wrong size. Things happen. Keep perspective, and do your best to relax and enjoy. 2 Trim your to-do list. Go ahead—cross out one or two things that are likely to make you frantic. You don’t have to say yes to every invita- tion or bake cookies from scratch when you can easily buy yummy ones. Make what matters most—time spent with friends and loved ones— your priority. 3 Catch your breath. Your default holiday behavior may be to go into overdrive. But chances are, you need the downtime now more than ever. So carve out at least a few minutes every day to recharge. 4 Lend a hand. Spread some holiday cheer by volun- teering for your favorite charity—maybe a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter. Helping out may lift your spirits and put you in the special holiday mood. 5 Resist the temptation to overspend. Ultimately, you’re only setting yourself up for post-holiday stress. Scale back. The real holiday spirit doesn’t revolve around pricey gifts. Consider giving some home- made gifts. Or give the gift of your time: Wrap up a home- made coupon for some babysit- ting hours—weary parents will be grateful. Or offer to clean the home of an elderly person or someone recovering from an illness. These types of gifts are often greatly appreciated. Source: American Psychological Association Winter 2019 Focus Your Health