There are so many wonderful experiences during the holiday season. There are beautiful Christmas decorations, laughter, smiles, and warm embraces. But then, there’s also running from one event to the next and last-minute shopping, which can lead to stress.
Holiday stress is common during this time of the year. According to Sleepopolis, from November through January, about a third of people experience a decline in their mental and physical health. The end of the year can be one of the most stressful times, as there is an urgency to get everything completed by a particular time. It’s important to have a go-to plan to incorporate self-care into your holiday to-do list.
Mainstream self-care strategies such as taking a bubble bath or getting a massage can relieve stress. However, these quick fixes won’t sustain you for the extended holiday season. Instead, you must implement more strategic and intentional self-care practices to help you survive the madness.
Here are 7 ways to take care of yourself this holiday season. Follow these tips to ensure that you have less stress and more joy this holiday season.
1. Schedule time for self-care
When you look over your calendar for December, you might see that it’s filled with end-of-the-year meetings, holiday parties, and tasks from a never-ending to-do list. Before your life gets so hectic that your only alone time is in the bathroom, take a moment to schedule time for yourself.
Reserve times and days on your calendar to do things that make your soul happy.
You don’t need to schedule a large amount of time. Self-care can be as simple as planning a five-minute walk, waking up 10 minutes early to enjoy a coffee by yourself, or scheduling time to talk with a friend.
2. Create a fitness and health routine
Neglecting one’s health is a common by-product of stress. Feeling overwhelmed with a full agenda can cause insomnia or waking up early. You might skip meals or eat junk food when pressure mounts. Creating a fitness and health routine to counter this potential spiral of bad health decisions.
Routines are a haven for self-care practices. They are reliable when life becomes chaotic. Fortunately, having routines around exercising and eating healthy can be simple.
Start by prepping healthy meals for the days you are busy and don’t have time to cook. Additionally, you can pack healthy snacks and carry them with you to avoid the temptation of junk food.
You can also join fitness classes or other group activities to have an accountability partner.
3. Understand your stress triggers
Stress triggers are the precursor to overwhelm and the uptick in your cortisol levels. If your mind has a stress button, your triggers push that button. These triggers are often a part of your environment and can cause you to feel stressed in various situations.
Some everyday triggers include high demands at work, finding your way through a significant life change, and a battle against a major illness. During the holidays, stress can be triggered by heavier-than-usual traffic on the road, longer wait times at medical offices due to limited staff, or crowded groceries or retail stores.
While it might feel natural to avoid stressful situations altogether, that may not always be possible. Therefore, it’s essential to identify what causes you stress. A stress diary can help you identify what situations tend to cause the most stress and how long it takes your body to recover. As you go about your day, notice changes within your body and mind. Are there certain situations where your heart starts to race? Do you notice that you begin to sweat more than usual in specific environments? Perhaps you suddenly feel sick after having a particular conversation.
When you identify your stress triggers, you can start to manage your stress. Knowing what causes you stress puts you in control.
4. Adjust your expectations
Expectations are normal. However, when situations don’t go as expected, it can cause stress. Instead of trying not to have any expectations, take your current expectations and expand them. Take a moment to ask yourself what else. What other possibilities can happen other than the one you’re expecting?
It’s okay to want your holidays to feel like a Disney movie. However, reality is never quite like it appears in the film. Therefore, if your expectations are too high, try to lower them to a comfortable and acceptable place.
5. Prioritize your tasks by importance
What are the most important things you want to accomplish by the end of the year? While you may feel pressured to say yes to all the invites, buy everyone you know the best presents, and cook an excellent Christmas meal, you can’t do it all.
Prioritizing will help you focus on what is most important. If everything on your to-do list feels like it’s vital, then use the 1-3-9 method. With this technique, you write down one urgent and important task. Then, you write down three important but not urgent tasks and list them based on priority. Lastly, write down nine things that are urgent but not important.
6. Use mantras to help you get through stressful moments
Mantras are positive statements you can repeat to yourself when you are feeling overwhelmed. You can say them in your mind or out loud. It’s also helpful to connect mantras with deep breathing. Try creating your mantra, or use one of these examples:
- I can manage my stress using the power of breath.
- I can be kind to myself as my priorities shift.
- My body deserves time to rest and recharge.
7. Have a support group
Stress can often make you feel isolated. While many people become stressed over the holidays, it can feel like you’re the only one experiencing it. Relying on a trusted group of friends and family members can help you feel grounded and supported during this holiday season.
Support groups can help you in many different ways. You may have a group where you can share holiday tasks or a group to vent to. If you have a few extra dollars, you can also look into delegating to a part time assistant. Either way, relying on others can help relieve your stress.
To make the most out of your holiday season, be sure to take care of yourself first. Set boundaries and remember that self-care is the greatest gift you can give yourself.
