Now that Thanksgiving is over, many of us are gearing up for the holiday season. It can be a fun, exciting, and memorable time of year. However, it can also be incredibly busy and stressful with so much going on in your personal life! Read our tips and tricks for how to get through this season without the exhaustion!
Don’t Overbook
The holidays are full of parties and events thrown by friends, family, and work. It’s so easy to completely fill up your calendar during this season and leave little time for the things you want and need to do. I know I’ve made this mistake before and had many nights of little sleep just to get work and chores done around all of the parties. It’s not very fun to attend a party with other tasks and work on your mind.
My advice is to plan carefully! There are probably some parties you are ok with missing. Say no to those. Also, make sure you aren’t saying yes to too many events on the weekends. You will need and want some downtime. Maybe only say yes to one event a day. Don’t try to make the brunch with your girlfriends, dinner with your coworkers, and your parent’s holiday party all in one day. You will be exhausted and your time with all of those people will not be as high quality as it could be.
This tip applies to work too! Don’t take on too many projects or tasks. I’m not always great at this myself but I try to say no to meetings or work trips that are too close to big events and will create a lot of stress. Having a supportive team and leadership helps, but do your best to keep your workload reasonable. Communicate if your workload is getting too high and see if someone can help out or what projects/tasks can be pushed out a bit.
Holiday Calendar
Personally, at the beginning of the season, I create a list of all the shopping I need to do, what work I need to complete, and the events I have to plan for. I will create a calendar with the mandatory events listed and due dates of any specific tasks. I use that calendar whenever I’m invited to a new event or planning a get-together with friends. It helps me ensure that I don’t double book or overbook myself. Everyone gets busy this season so saying no due to other obligations is completely understandable. Take control of your time so you don’t wear yourself out!
Schedule Self Care
While this tip goes hand in hand with not overbooking yourself, I think it’s important enough to call out separately. Make sure you are taking the time to do the things that make you feel grounded and happy. If you love doing face masks on the weekends but know you have lots of holiday parties that might prevent you from doing them, schedule some time for it during the week. Don’t push aside all of your favorite self care tricks while you are busy this season.
I like to make sure I add a self care activity to my holiday season as a reminder to take care of myself. This year, I’ve scheduled a massage in December during a week that I know might be a little stressful. That appointment will be a nice getaway from everything else going on that week to help me recharge and reenergize. If you don’t take care of yourself this season, you won’t be as excited or present in the moments that matter!
Keep Up Your Routine
It’s easy to let your normal routine get disrupted during the holidays. You don’t have time for your yoga class because you have so much shopping to do! Of course it is totally fine to skip your workout every once in a while when some holiday festivities book up your day, but don’t let it be a daily thing! Get right back into your routine after your work holiday party that conflicted with your favorite Saturday night candlelight yoga class. Just because you skipped your normal routine the day before doesn’t mean you can’t get back into it today.
Exercise is one routine example but this applies to all aspects of your routine. Maybe you have a morning routine where you start your day with a cup of coffee and a meditation. Or maybe you end your day by reading a chapter of a good book. Either way, try to stick to your routine as much as possible. It’ll help you feel grounded and less stressed!
Stay Present
Now that your schedule is reasonable, you’ve been taking care of yourself, and you’ve not been derailed from your routine, you’ll be in a much better position to stay present at all of your holiday events! This season is all about spending time with your loved ones and making great memories. Try to disconnect from work, social media, and other distractions when you are at the holiday parties and events. I put my phone away during holiday meals and will even leave my work computer at home when I go to my parents’ house. If you have the time off, use it wisely! You’ve put in the work to be ready for your various festivities so put in the quality time with the people around you. They will appreciate it and you will too! Connecting with others can help increase your own well-being after all.
What holiday wellness tricks and tips do you have? We’d love to hear your advice! Let us know what you do to stay healthy and well during the hectic holiday season!
