Expert Offers Advice On Balancing Holiday Cheer With Work, Responsibilities
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- You've probably heard of baby brain, but have you heard of holiday brain?
Many people are feeling that same sense of forgetfulness and absentmindedness around this time of year.
The holiday season is widely recognized as a time to gather, shop and celebrate. While it's an exciting time, it can quickly become overwhelming.
"There's always still a lot of end-of-year work commitments, and then on top of the holiday shopping and how much money you spend and all the things to do, so yeah, it's a little stressful," said Bonnie Giordano, a tourist from Pennsylvania.
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So how can you balance the holiday cheer with your responsibilities?
Some shoppers at the Columbus Circle Holiday Market say they can't. Unfortunately, work becomes less of a priority.
Others say they've cracked the code; they avoid getting stressed out by focusing less on the gifts and more on time spent together.
"It just feels less commercial and just more relaxed, more about family and just being together, and less about presents and having to get the exact right present for everybody," Manhattan resident Jessica Lawrence said.
It sounds easy, but that's not the case for everyone. While the holiday season may come and go, work is here to stay, and one expert says it may actually be a good distraction.
"My advice would be instead of bringing that anxiety to work, is to use work as a respite. Focus on what's in front of you without projecting what's to come," said Dr. Sydney Ceruto, a cognitive neuropsychologist.
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Ceruto says channeling your energy into work can combat the anxiety that comes with the holiday season and, above all else, keep things in perspective.
The holidays may not turn out how you pictured and that's OK.
"Not everybody going to have the perfect holiday. We need to make the best of it. We need to look at it as a time of not just self-reflection, but of making real connections," Ceruto said.
Don't let the happiest time of year become the most stressful.
Happiness expert and New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin appeared on CBS This Morning to offer a few tips when preparing for a family vacation. She suggested giving yourself extra travel time, not overbooking yourself and, again, staying focused on family time.
