With the lead-up to the festive holidays, there can be a mixture of excitement and anticipation, especially considering the roller coaster year we have had. In some cases, the festive season can heighten stress, cause financial pressure and ignite challenging family dynamics. Your workload can get busier, there may be pressure to complete everything before the due date, and trying to fit in a little bit of Christmas shopping can lead to your all round general well-being taking a bit of a dip. Remember to stop and put yourself first at times.

Other ideas to relieve the pressure leading up to the festive season is to:

• Show gratitude and think about the great things around you

• Be inclusive and realise that not everyone will celebrate their holidays the way you do

• Share the load with other family members

• Set realistic expectations and prioritise what is important

• Get 10-20 minutes of walking in most days

• Cut back on lavish gifts