Beating the Holiday Blues with a Little Tech

Holiday blues can affect anyone regardless of age, especially women. According to a survey by the National Women's Health Resource Center, nearly two-thirds of women said they have suffered from depression during this hectic time of the year. Many factors contribute to holiday depression—stress, fatigue, being away from loved ones, over-commercialization, financial problems, and even fewer hours of sunlight. The holiday season is jam packed with activities, so to avoid being down in the pits to the point of isolation, I want to give you some advice to help you manage your time this holiday season.

Be Realistic, Set a Budget

The holiday season stirs up a lot of negative feelings if you're strapped for cash. It happens to all of us. We overspend in December, then face the consequences in January. What a way to start the year! Give yourself a break this season. Save money by comparing prices while shopping online, keeping track of your expenses and family budget. Yahoo! Tech has a nifty product comparison tab that lets you shop around for the best deal on consumer electronics. Don't be afraid to give small gifts from the heart like personalized gadget skins, photobooks, or holiday photo greetings. To get the most bang for your buck check out our Gift Finder and stay within your budget. You might want to jump on the RSS bandwagon too. It's free, and some shopping sites (Circuit City) offer them to keep you up to date on their latest sales. Here are some RSS primers if you're a newbie.

Do Your Shopping Online

December's mall madness is a huge holiday stressor. Just thinking of those long lines, crowded stores, and full parking lots is already stressing me out. This year, shop the smart way by going online. Advisor Dory Devlin has a few tips for online holiday shoppers such as shopping early, taking advantage of free shipping, and reading the fine print on returns. More and more retail giants now offer in-store pickup options that allow you to order your items online, with a guarantee that they'll be ready for pickup in a matter of minutes. No shipping or long lines. It's smooth sailing from there.

Party Time Saving Tips

Go high-tech on your guests by sending them an Evite to your party instead of mailing out invitations. I've used it for years, and love being able to track my RSVPs. Hosting your first Thanksgiving can be a nightmare if you don't have a guide, so check out Martha Stewart's Turkey 101 video on Yahoo! Food. This site is packed with great recipes, decorating ideas, and even a Thanksgiving countdown planner.

Exercise Beats Depression

During the holidays, people tend to respond to stress by drinking, overeating, and even developing a little insomnia. It's very easy to avoid the gym during the holidays to give yourself a "break" from your normal routine, but you'll quickly realize avoiding the gym will leave you feeling more stressed out. Make some time to exercise during the holidays. Don't be afraid to mix things up by going for a walk, running on the treadmill, or riding your bike to work or school. All those things are always healthy. If you don't want to get out in the snow, then pop in your DDR video game, and get your dance on. Oh, and if you get a Nintnedo Wii, then you really have no excuse to avoid some fun physical action. Are you down with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) feelings? How about some light therapy? The goLITE may lift up your mood.

I hope this helps you out even a little bit, because every little bit counts. Does anyone have any other useful advice to combat the holiday blues?

Get with the times, read these posts:

Put RSS Feeds to Work as a Personal Shopper
Comparison Shopping for the Holidays?
Caveat Emptor: Safe Online Shopping Tips

Disclosure: Yahoo! Food, is owned and offered by Yahoo!, Inc., which also owns and operates Yahoo! Tech.