Photo credit: SheKnows Canada

Although Christmas is something to be overjoyed about, there are things that we should definitely NOT overdo during the holiday season.  Doing these things in a highly exaggerated level only leads to negative feelings and physical malaise.  Working, committing, spending, and eating will always be part of this season but people would do well to consider the consequence of going beyond what is acceptable and beneficial.

Overworking

People work primarily to provide for the needs and wants that go with everyday living.  The holiday season usually presents more opportunities to earn but these opportunities have to be matched with performance of specific tasks in order to be of financial benefit.  The problem lies in accepting work that is over one’s physical and mental capabilities at a given time. Work usually comes with deadlines and if every task accepted have similar deadlines, one can just imagine the pressure and stress which will eventually take its toll on the body.  There are only so much number of hours in a day and the human body needs to rest during each day.  Without sufficient time to recover, the body will not respond quite well to non-stop work, lack of sleep, and psychological pressure.

Overcommitment

> During the holiday season, there will be many invitations from relatives, friends, and offficemates, which will make it difficult to say no.  However, accepting all invitations would force a person to spread himself too thin resulting to unproductive events.  People who commit to too many invitations will end up rushing from one event to another without the benefit of fully enjoying any. It is advisable to choose the events which one thinks are the most important.  In this way, each event is given the time and attention it needs to be truly pleasurable.  There is also more time to interact with the other attendees which is basically what holiday celebrations are all about.

Overspending

Of all the times in the year, Christmas is probably the time where most budgets go haywire.  There seems to be endless events to attend, people to give gifts to, reasons to entertain, and reasons for people to gratify themselves by self-gifting.  It is not an accident that most store sale events happen during the holiday season. The holiday season seems to have a contagion for people to spend and spend and spend.  The euphoric feeling can sometimes make people forget that there are realities to be faced after maxing out a credit card and after indulging in impulse buying. The temptation to reward one’s self and the family for one year of working hard should be balanced with financial limitations.

Over-eating

Food is the common factor in almost all events.  As people hop from one event to another, there is a tendency to over-eat and over-indulge in food that people would usually have better control of during ordinary times.  Everything just seem to be irresistible. Party-goers will probably find themselves making a mental note of not eating or drinking much and then find themselves giving in at the middle of the party and then make the same mistake for all the other parties still in line.  Holiday food is said to be a serious threat to weight watchers.  The more sinfully delicious they are, the more loaded they seem to be in calories which is not only bad for people battling weight problems but also for people with existing diseases.

My Say

The holiday season is a time to be joyful but it is impossible to feel joy when people subject themselves to physical exhaustion, extreme stress, psychological fear of troubled finances, and overindulgence in food that threatens the feeling of well-being.  The key lies in moderation.  People who do things within their means end up feeling happier.  It is best therefore to be reminded of the things not to overdo during the holiday season.