The 5 Most Stressful Days of the Year

Some days are a lot more stressful than others if you take into account everyday life aspects. Aspects like your career, your marriage or relationship, or even paying your bills on time.

Every day events certainly warrant stress relief management tactics, but every few months your stress is exponentially compounded on specific days of the year.

Here is a list of 5 of the most stressful days of the year:

#5 Thanksgiving
What could possibly be stressful about a family gathering to eat some turkey and watch some football? Hopefully, you have been through enough Thanksgivings to pick up on my sarcasm in the previous question. The turkey and football are definitely effective stress reducers in their own right, provided the Lions play a competitive game. The turkey provides a scientifically engineered excuse to skip forced family conversations and doze off for a while.

#4 Finals
For students, it’s make or break time. For parents, it signals time to prepare your home for their summer or extended return home. There is a good chance that their finals will go well and all their extensive fretting and preparation will have paid off. Just like any other stressful day or situation, there is a period of stress release expected. Do your poor, over achieving student a favor and foot the tab for a night out (given they are 21 or older of course!)

#3 January 4th
Researchers have pinpointed January 4 to be the most stressful day of the year. They say that the perfect storm of cold weather, economic gloom, and the end of Christmas cheer will leave many temporarily sad and depressed.

Judi James, a psychologist and expert in communications and body language, said:”January can be one of the most stressful times of the year between sale shopping and recovering from the excesses of the party season, which can stimulate negative behaviors such as rising tension, stress levels and blood pressure.”

#2 Tax Day
April 15th. Many of us taxpaying, ever tax write off searching adults know this day all too well. Consider yourself lucky if you or your highly accredited tax professional has decided that a return is headed your way. For those who have to scrounge up funds to meet the deadline experience a lot more stress leading up to this day. April 15th isn’t just stressful for tax payers; it takes a toll on all those involved in the process. Immediately move this day to the #1 most stressful day if it has resulted or results in an audit.

#1 Christmas
As parents, you most likely guessed this one. But even without highly expecting children to shop for, Christmas is easily the most stressful time of the year. Scouring malls and department stores looking for the latest and greatest gifts can leave you physically and emotionally exhausted.

If it isn’t finding the perfect gift to please the loved or hated one you’re shopping for, it’s the management of available cash or credit to purchase for all of those on your list. Shopping is only half of the holiday battle as you will still have to attend a “joyous” family gathering or worse yet, host the event yourself.