The Holiday Tasks That Are Secretly Depleting You

The season isn't always so merry — it also can come with stress if you're the one keeping track of everything. Here's why and what to do.

As merry as it may be, the holiday season can also be synonymous with stress. Between spending lots of money on gifts, living up to the (probably very high) expectations in your head and making time for all of the holiday events throughout the month, it’s an overwhelming season for many people.

But you’re definitely not the only one feeling this way. In fact, there are two concepts that may explain the stress you may feel at points throughout this season: A heavy mental load and excess emotional labor.