Why is March Such a Stressful Month? What is happening and how to manage it.

March Madness. March Mania. March Mayhem. The Ides of March. Whatever you call it, March is a stressful month. Here are some common factors contributing to the busyness of March and what you can do about it (yes, you actually have control over some of it, if not at the very least your reactions to them!):

1. Transition to Spring

As winter comes to an end, many people engage in spring cleaning and preparation for the new season, which can lead to a busy schedule.

2. Academic Deadlines

For students, March often marks the end of the academic term, leading to exams, project submissions, and final presentations.

3. Tax Preparation

In many countries, March is a key month for tax preparation, as individuals and businesses start organizing their financial documents ahead of tax deadlines.

4. Weather Changes

Unpredictable weather patterns in March can lead to disruptions in daily routines, requiring adjustments and flexibility in planning.

5. Work Deadlines

Many businesses have quarterly goals and deadlines that fall at the end of March, leading to increased workloads and pressure to meet targets.

6. Sporting events--and I'm not talking about NCAA March Madness

In line with school and work deadlines, seasons of club/league/rec sports come to a close. So, expect to have cheer and hockey finals in the same weekend.

7. It's the month of International Women's Day.

With so much politics (and anger) surrounding gender identity, it's daunting to understand how to approach the subject. Forget how to feel about it.

8. Before much of the craziness has passed, St. Patrick's Day comes and most of us are too exhausted to remember.

Last month, I was the only mom at my daughter's daycare that forgot valentine's day cards and treats. And February is nothing like March. Enough said.

9. It's, like, everybody's birthday

Wedding season was 9 months earlier. But those born in the dreaded month of March, while we love them, may easily be forgotten about in the mayhem.

On top of the pressures that the calendar is trapping you under, astrology also has a mind of its own.

This March also marks the first Mercury Retrograde of the year right on the heels of the full-moon. As I've posted about before, Mercury Retrograde is a time of alignment when the planet Mercury appears to be orbiting backwards in relation to planet Earth, and it is known to cause confusion and frustration as Mercury is the planet that is said to rule communication. Also, Mercury is currently in the sign of Aries...and we all know how stubborn Aries is, so we can expect this Mercury retrograde to feel as headstrong as Aries itself.

AS IF THAT ISN'T ENOUGH...

...we are experiencing an unprecedented trade war between Canada and Mexico vs. the United States while your schedule continues to taunt you without a care about the financial demands that it requires. With these combined factors, everyone's anxiety and emotions are (almost literally) sky high. Here are some things you can do to mitigate the horribleness of this month and keep your cool.

1) Focus on 1-2 current events of importance to you:

Many of us are experiencing so much heaviness around the trade wars and political ideology. Recently in Saskatchewan, we have seen an astronomical rise in overdoses on the heels of having secured our international borders because we were promised we would be safer from overdoses if we did (turns out that was another DT lie). With all of these events and more I haven't even mentioned, it is impossible to pay attention to everything and affect change without burning out. Information changes as quickly as the weather (literally in this month) and so do our emotions about it.

Spoiler alert: this is done intentionally by media outlets or those otherwise responsible for disseminating appropriate information--and power (i.e. the government, Elon Musk, etc.). Knowledge most certainly is power, but not when it is meant to exploit your emotions (sound familiar?). Information overload quickly causes an obvious yet confusing stress response. The increase in cortisol levels activates our fight or flight centre, which sends a signal to our brain to react. But, with so many existential threats, it causes our brains and bodies confusion about what steps to take next, throwing your nervous system into a tailspin (btw, increased cortisol levels also impacts our ability to get a full night's sleep, and we all know the impacts of sleep deprivation on our nervous system. But, never fear, homeopathy is here! Despite its critics, homeopathy is a low risk and affordable alternative to addressing stress related sleep issues). To avoid the tailspin, we suggest picking one to two serious issues on which to focus on or in which you feel you can affect change.

Focusing on one--maybe two--issue(s) you are most passionate about empowers you through better understanding on the issue, therefore leading to stronger choice and decision making, but leaves you feeling less overwhelmed than if you were to dissect every piece of information that is hurled at you each minute. To do this, crawl into your rabbit hole of choice and set your timer to switch tasks to a calming more meditative activity after about 30 minutes. It takes roughly 20-30 minutes for your nervous system to regulate. Taking a 20 minute time-out to go for a walk (we all need more steps, amirite?!), reading a (light hearted!) book, baking your favorite treat or trying a new hobby are all effective yet simple ways to regulate your nervous system(and it's backed by science! See below for more info).

2) "Grandma" hobbies are making a huge comeback:

Though we don't love the term, these activities are coming back with a vengeance and are actually helping our mental health. And we're here for all of it. These "grandma hobbies" actually began their resurrection during the lockdowns of the pandemic, when we were all forced to slow down and stay home. In addition to the threat of a virus, people's livelihoods were on the line so we started finding ways to stretch our dollar and plan for the apocalypse. What actually happened? Our nervous systems became more regulated by deliberately and intentionally focusing our attention and energies on creating. These activities which ranged from gardening, canning, knitting and crocheting and cross-stitch, baking sourdough delights, and more not only provide us with a sense of control over an outcome--an important coping strategy that is effective with trauma survivors--but it also forces us to stay focused and regulates our breathing that mimics meditation. Plus, learning a new skill boosts our sense of confidence and self-esteem! Talk about a dopamine hit!

In case you happen to remember that we just finished discussing how busy life is right now and before you remind me that you don't have time (I hear you...), start small. Interested in learning how to bake more bread? Start with commercial yeasted doughs. Wanna pick up knitting but have never tried? Watch some YouTube videos. Even the planning stages of beginning a project are exciting and cause a rush of feel good hormones. Too busy and, frankly, too exhausted to read? Try an audio book and listen while you are driving, washing dishes or taking a hot, relaxing bath. Make sure to choose something upbeat and not Handmaid's Tale-esque. You don't want to bum yourself out while doing something that is supposed to be relaxing for your nervous system.

3) Find a Social Worker for support:

We would be remiss if we didn't include the obligatory nod to Social Work during social work month (another thing to put on your calendars!). Psychologists and Social Workers travel in close circles and it is important to have both in your back pocket. However, social workers view challenges more wholistically and tackle mental health through an environmental or systemic lens. For example, social workers may address mental health or conflict that arise out of oppression through a feminist lens, guide you to a systematic understanding of why these challenges exist, and build solutions within a system that insists on creating barriers. In addition, unlike psychologists, social workers work within a wide prevue and many services fall within their scope of practice, so you can almost be guaranteed to find a social worker who offers counselling support in an area specific to what you are grappling with outside of mental illness and behavioral issues. To find a registered social worker in Saskatchewan that fits your needs, click here.

March is a heavy month. Almost every year but this year, it seems awful. Support yourself through limiting what issues you put energy into and instead refocus that energy into self-care and stress relief activities that are making a comeback that has surprising benefits on your mental health! Remember to boost your confidence and self-esteem by leveraging your own skills and resources that can provide you with a much needed boost of feel-good hormones! If you are still struggling, remember that there is literally a whole roster of skilled social workers who are here to support you. And, lastly, take comfort in knowing that March only lasts 31 days, we are more than half way there with spring around the corner to greet us!