The 3 top stresses in January 1260x542
6 Jan 2014

The 3 top stresses in January, and what to do about them

2 mins to read
Now that we’re in January, that holiday you were dreaming of back in December may no longer feel like such a holiday. We ask three experts how to deal with these top stresses in January.


Now that we’re in January, that holiday you were dreaming of back in December may no longer feel like such a holiday. The bank statement is in and it’s not pretty, your New Year’s resolution failed to launch, and the thought of returning to work is already giving you nightmares.

We ask three experts how to deal with these top stresses in January.

1. The financial hangover
There’s more than one way to binge over the holiday season. Gift buying, pre- and post-Christmas sales, Christmas dinners, New Year parties and holiday expenses can all leave you with a financial hangover in January.

Financial planner Naomi Rosenthal offers three tips for recovering from a holiday money binge.

  1. Make a plan to pay off the debt or rebuild the savings over the next two months. Commit to setting aside extra money and cut back on unnecessary spending – put pay TV on hold for a few months, quit the daily coffee or wine, or start taking sandwiches to work.
  2. If you’ve racked up some credit card or personal loan debt, pay down the
    smallest debt first. You'll feel good for having paid off the balance and you'll be motivated to keep going onto the next debt. On the flip side, if you're freaked out by high interest rates then pay off the debt that is doing the most damage first.
  3. Find the institutions offering zero or low rates on your credit card and transfer your balance – but make sure you pay off the debt in the allotted time frame, otherwise you'll potentially be stung with an even higher ongoing rate than before.

2. Maintaining New Year’s resolutions
Each January the pressure is on to quit, do or improve something about our lives. Personal coach Kirri White believes we need to stop setting New Year’s resolutions and focus instead on developing better habits.

“Consistent baby steps are going to take you a lot further than a short term flurry of activity that relies on willpower, which is a limited and fluctuating resource,” says Kirri.

Instead of resolving to eat more healthily, begin a habit of adding one green juice or smoothie to your diet every day. Rather than resolving to lose weight, begin a habit of moving your body in whatever way feels good for 10 minutes every day.

Kirri recommends you commit to a few simple things and add more as you become comfortable with each new change. “Make it so simple that it is impossible for you not to succeed.”

3. Back-to-Work Blues
Even those of us who like our job may dread the holidays ending and having to return to the daily grind.

Caroline De Kimpe, a career coach, consultant and speaker at New Horizon Coaching Australia, has some creative suggestions on how to prepare for that first day back in the office.

  • Create a playlist of your favorite music to listen to as you get ready.
  • Treat yourself and buy a new outfit to wear on that first day.
  • Picture what you will be doing different this year, and imagine all that you will be achieving. Small changes can make a big difference. 
  • Commit to going into work on that first day with a big smile. Your positivity will make a difference to others.
  • You are not alone. Organise for everyone who will be in the office or in your team to meet for coffee or breakfast.
  • Take an hour to set yourself realistic objectives for the first week, organise yourself and prioritise what needs to be done. 

Here are some more tips on how to beat back-to-work stress.

What stresses you out in January? Tell us in the comments below.


Feeling stressed in the new year? Take the Blackmores Stress Quiz and compare yourself to the rest of Australia.



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