When the holidays roll around, it’s important to take care of yourself. The stresses of everyday life and family obligations can pile up around you and leave little room for self-care. It’s easy to let stress get in the way of personal well-being and happiness this time of year. Here are five self-care tips that will help you stay positive during the holiday season.
Set Your Intentions
One thing a lot of us struggle with is setting intentions at the beginning of each new month or week. As humans we tend to forget our goals when we’re busy doing other things. Setting your intentions for the upcoming week or month makes it easier to stick to your plan. You can set your goals by using a calendar or journaling on paper. If you prefer technology, there are lots of apps out there to help you track your progress. Some even offer visual reminders so you never forget what you’ve set out to do.
Take Time Off from Social Media
Social media has become an integral part of people’s lives these days, but it’s also one of the most stressful parts of modern society. Even if you don’t check Facebook every day because you hate being glued to your phone, you may still find yourself scrolling through social media sites all day long just to see what everyone else is up to. This type of behavior puts pressure on those who use social media as their primary means of communication and relationship building. As much as you might love seeing what your friends and loved ones are up to, it’s best to put that aside sometimes. Take some time off from social media to give your mind a break and recharge.
Put Yourself First
It’s not selfish to say “no” to people when you have a stressful situation at home, at work, or in any other area of your life. Sometimes, saying no isn’t always about helping others. In fact, it might be better for them if you said yes instead. A lot of times it’s hard for us to step back and realize that we need to take care of ourselves before we can help anyone else. We often feel guilty for putting ourselves first, but it’s important to remember that we deserve to be happy. That doesn’t mean you have to spend the entire holiday period alone though. Try scheduling a date night with your significant other or go out for dinner with friends.
Learn How to Say No
If you’re like me, you’ve probably had to learn how to say no over the years. I used to be so afraid of disappointing someone that I’d end up doing whatever they wanted without asking questions or making sure I was comfortable with the idea. Now, I’m much more confident in my abilities to make decisions and say no when I need to. Saying no is tough in general, but especially during the holidays. There’s such high demand for your time, attention, and resources, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to say yes to everything.
Make Space for Fun Activities
Even if you aren’t interested in participating in the traditional holiday activities (like going to Christmas parties), try to carve out time to do something fun. Maybe it’s watching movies together, playing games, or maybe just hanging out on the couch and sipping hot chocolate. Just being able to relax and enjoy the company of another person can be therapeutic. Make sure to include your children in your plans too. They’ll appreciate your efforts to keep things lighthearted. And they’ll probably even thank you for it later.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest culprits behind feeling stressed throughout the year, but it seems to get worse around the holidays. When the days are shorter and you’re spending more time indoors, it’s easy to lose sleep. It’s important to make time to unwind and rest every day, but especially during the holidays. The amount of time you need depends on your body and how busy your schedule is. For example, if you work nights, it might be best to set an alarm an hour earlier than usual and try to get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
If you’re struggling to find time to get enough sleep, here are some great ways to get extra shut eye.
Eat Healthy Food
You should already be eating healthy foods, but the holidays can add a few extra pressures to your diet. You want to eat festive food, but you also want to avoid overeating and feeling bloated. To help you manage how many calories you consume, make sure you set limits and stick to them. Eating smaller portions throughout the day will allow you to indulge occasionally without gaining weight.
Don’t Forget Exercise
The holidays can be stressful, which leads to less active lifestyles. While it’s tempting to skip working out in favor of relaxing at the spa or having dinner with friends, staying fit is important for overall health and wellness. Even if you only have 30 minutes to spare, try to squeeze in a workout. It won’t take long and you’ll feel better afterwards.
A person can keep some self care tips in mind to get the good and the memorable time during the Christmas. A person can work in a manner that will help to get the answer as how many weeks until Christmas? There are various tips that will help in achieving the goals. The main motive of the people is to celebrate the day with good results.
