While the holiday season can feel like the most wonderful time of the year to many, to others, it feels like the most stressful time of the year. Here are a few ways to de-stress this holiday season, so everything feels a little more merry and bright.
- Keep up with self-care. Although the holiday season gets busy, find the time to stick with your self-care routine – it will help the hectic season feel a little more relaxed. Don’t have a routine? Throughout the year, establish a routine that involves taking time for yourself. Find what works best for you, whether it’s an hour of yoga or reading a book in a bubble bath; we’ve provided some ideas for self-care before.
- Stick with healthy habits. Food and exercise play a big part when it comes to both your physical and mental health. While holiday gatherings and busy schedules can make it easy to get off track, try to focus on staying active and filling up on healthy foods. This doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge in holiday treats – just do so in moderation so your mind and body are feeling their best.
- Plan ahead. With shopping, baking, wrapping gifts, and prepping the house for visitors on the to-do list, try to plan your days ahead of time to prevent your list from feeling too overwhelming. Try dedicating one day to baking, one weekend to shopping and wrapping, and 30 minutes each evening to tidying up the house to make that list feel more manageable.
- Streamline commitments. Focus on what is meaningful for you and your family. Avoid spreading yourself too thin in an effort to participate in everything. There can be a LOT to tackle in a single holiday season – don’t feel like you have to do everything and be everywhere.
- Be realistic. The holidays won’t be picture perfect, and that is okay. Try to focus on the reason for the season, let go, and enjoy the time with loved ones.
We wish you a joyful and stress-free holiday season, and a healthy and peaceful New Year.