In a morning‑show segment on KTVU’s “Mornings on 2 The Nine,” Reena Vokoun, founder of the wellness brand PassionFit, shares practical strategies for keeping the holiday season low‑stress and enjoyable. She recommends (1) using weekly and daily “top‑3” lists to create realistic, controllable goals; (2) shopping early and preferably online to avoid crowds and last‑minute pressure; (3) putting social events on a calendar and being willing to decline invitations that don’t align with personal priorities; (4) prioritizing self‑care—rest, exercise, moderation in eating—to protect mental, emotional, and physical health; (5) shifting focus from material gifts to gratitude, memories, and empathy for others; and (6) simplifying holiday card etiquette by using digital alternatives, postponing cards, or consolidating them into a New‑Year greeting. Throughout the conversation, Vokoun frames these tips as ways to preserve happiness and mental health while still enjoying the festive spirit.
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Alright, coming up on Mornings on 2 The Nine, avoiding holiday stress. Up next, some tips on getting through the season intact.
Santa Claus is coming round, the Christmas snow is white on the ground. Well, according to Healthline, a consumer health information site based in San Francisco, 90% of people surveyed say they get stressed out during the holidays.
So we have some help for you on how to keep these next few weeks manageable. We welcome back to The Nine Reena Vokoun, founder of PassionFit. Good morning, thanks for being here.
Good morning, thank you for having me.
One of your first tips is something I do all the time, and that is make a list.
Yes, okay, absolutely. We obviously make lists personally and professionally, so why not make a holiday list as well? And take it a step further by maybe doing your top 3 priorities for each day.
So you say keep a daily list, this is not everything I need to do.
It's a weekly list, but then each day maybe pick your top 3 holiday tasks you need to get done because that will create more realistic goals and you'll feel a sense of control and a sense of accomplishment.
So here we are, We are kind of in early December. We should be shopping now, right? Because the earlier you do it, the less stress there'll be.
Yes, I would say shop early and shop online if possible. There are so many retailers, even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, there's so many great holiday deals going on right now. Lots of people are offering things like free shipping, discounts. I just launched an online boutique as well, and I'm offering those types of things for my new activewear line. So it's a great time for you to sit in front of the fireplace with a hot cup of cocoa, a blanket, and just do all your shopping online.
Exactly, because when it's all said and done, if you wake up Christmas morning and you're still stressed out, it's about sitting in front of the tree and going, wow, I'm really thankful for this. With that in mind, what about parties? You get invited to this party, that luncheon, friends want to get together. How do you get all that done and your shopping and get to drink the cocoa?
That's right. You know, it's, it's exciting when you get all these great holiday invitations, but it can be overwhelming as well. So I would suggest getting them in your calendar right away so that you and your family can plan on where you need to be when, but then also And also, don't be afraid to decline some of those invitations, right? Pick the ones that are most meaningful to you, maybe your work holiday party, your close friends, your family. If it's an acquaintance or it poses a logistical challenge, maybe those are ones you could graciously decline so you're not so stressed out.
I think a lot of people have a hard time saying no, especially to family, but I've tried to think of it as I'm preserving my happiness, my mental health. I mean, taking time out for yourself is not or should not be a bad thing.
Exactly. Self-care is probably one of the things that goes out the window during this time of year because we're so busy all the time. But if you don't take that time to rest, relax, exercise so you can ward off things like holiday weight gain, you know, eat in moderation, those are all things you can be doing just to make sure that the holidays don't get the best of you. And to your point, you're feeling mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy.
And that's why sometimes I wonder We're supposed to be happy, but we're kind of blowing the gift thing out of proportion. Uh, you know, maybe if, like, you kind of alluded to that, Frank, if we kind of put it in perspective, it's like, this is supposed to be happy. Yeah, it's not the gift that counts, it's the thought, right?
Exactly. I think we get so focused on the material sides of the holiday and the gifts and the shopping and the to-do lists, but at the end of the day, we all know the holidays are a time to make memories with our loved ones. It's a time to give back. It's a time to be empathetic because this time of year may not be easy for people depending on what they going on in their life, and I think the more that we can be grateful and thankful for what we do have, it's just gonna make the holidays that much more special and less stressful.
So the bigger picture is what you gotta focus on.
Yeah.
I got an issue with Christmas cards. Yes. Because every year now with Facebook and social media, you know what your friends and family are doing. Every year I say I'm not gonna send them out, and then I get 2 dozen, you know, on December 15th. I go, oh, I gotta send that one back.
He's guilted into it.
Love that guy. And then before you know it, I'm writing 50 Christmas cards and This year I kind of don't want to do it.
I know, it's tough.
Okay, but if you're going to do it anyway, maybe you should just do it, get it over with.
All right, Dr. Sal, he's probably right.
He probably is. Some people do come to expect getting those, you know, physical holiday cards in the mail. You could do an online version for those that are online. Maybe you send a mass email with a photo of your family with some personal notes in there. Or another idea is maybe you do a Happy New Year card. Oh, you wait until the holiday season is behind you and then you do yours. I have some friends that do Valentine's card.
They just sent it out because you're not expecting a card, and all of a sudden you get one card, you know, in February, and go, how nice of them to send that.
So that's true, that's a good idea.
Reena Vokoun at PassionFit, it's so good to see you. Happy holidays. Frank's card will be in the mail.
