Holiday Burnout - declining Inviations

Blog post by Norma

Our latest blog posts have revolved around the holiday season, and we want to continue this theme by addressing the topic of holiday burnout. Holiday burnout can stem from many things, such as accumulated stress from holiday tasks and our everyday lives. One of the additional stressors can be holiday events. 

The holiday season is not without holiday parties and events. For many, the abundance of events can be increasingly stressful, especially when you do not want to hurt others' feelings by declining an invitation. If you struggle to turn down invitations for events you do not wish to attend, you are not alone! 

According to an article by the APA, many people overestimate the consequences of declining an invitation. Research by Julian Givi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at West Virginia University, found that the negative consequences of rejecting an invitation to an event are less severe than we think. This study looked at 2,000 participants and five different experiments, of which one included participants either rejecting an invitation or having their invitation rejected. 

Those tasked with rejecting an invitation expressed that they believed their friend, whose invitation was rejected, would view them negatively and be upset. The results showed that we tend to overestimate how others feel in this scenario as we believe people will focus on rejection. However, this is not always the case. 

While accommodating others' feelings and expressing sympathy is essential, we should not let this come before our feelings. If holiday events add extra stress to your life, don't be afraid to turn down a few. Take the time to destress at home and recharge your social battery. Being honest about what you can and can't handle during the holidays can help mitigate holiday burnout. 

Source: American Psychological Association. (2023, December 11). Just say no to that invitation. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/12/say-no-invitation