The holiday season is filled with wonderful memories, delicious food, and fun family traditions. As wonderful as this time is, the holidays are also filled with lots of stress and chaos. Last minute shopping, getting the house ready to host a holiday party, having relatives come to visit, kids being home from school, holiday traffic, etc.
Let’s make this year different so you can enjoy the holiday season without feeling overly stressed. We put together a list of 7 hacks to help you find peace among the holiday chaos!
Figure Out Your Non-negotiables
What habits, rituals, and routines make you feel your best? Is it doing yoga every morning? Getting 8 hours of sleep? Journaling?
Come up with at least 2-3 non-negotiable habits that will help you stay grounded when life starts to get a little hectic. You can’t get rid of the chaos, but you can take actionable steps to keep yourself from getting burnt out. This is especially important during cold and flu season. The more stressed you get, the weaker your immune system is.
Plan Ahead
When life gets busy, it is easy to push everything off until the last minute. Make a list of the things you know need to get done over the next couple weeks and block out time to get them done. Staying up until midnight getting the house ready for guests or finishing some last minute projects for work is only going to leave you more stressed and tired. Write things down in a planner, set reminders for yourself, and delegate tasks to the rest of your family so everything doesn’t fall on you.
Set Aside Time Each Week to Decompress
The holidays involve lots of planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. However, it also brings a lot of joy. It is a time to curl up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and watch your favorite holiday movie. Set aside time each week to do these fun and relaxing holiday activities. It doesn’t even have to be holiday related! Take a little time to enjoy your cup of coffee in the morning or set aside time to journal. Just make sure to do things each week that fill your cup.
Practice Gratitude
You don’t want to forget about what the holidays are truly about. It’s a time to reflect on what you are thankful for and spend time with the ones you love. You don’t want to get too caught up in all of the holiday chaos.
Set aside some time every day or every week to write down a few things you are thankful for. This is also an excellent grounding exercise to practice when the stress starts kicking in. Don’t just write “I am thankful for my family and friends.” Truly visualize why you are thankful for the things you are listing. Think about a happy memory and feel the warm and happy emotions that come up.
Set Boundaries
You may find yourself saying yes to everything this time of year. Family members, friends, your kids, etc. Do not spread yourself too thin. It’s important to say no to some things to prevent yourself from getting burnt out. Having a clear cut plan in your head about what you are willing/not willing to do will help with this:
- How long will you have family members stay at your house?
- How much cooking will you do?
- What is your budget?
- Where are you willing to travel?
- How many projects can you take on at work?
Focus on What You Can Control
Unfortunately, you cannot control the weather or other people’s ability to get along at family parties. You’ve got enough on your plate already, so focus on what you can control! That includes your own attitude when things get a little chaotic. We know it’s easier said than done, so here are some tips to help you let go of the things you can’t control:
- Notice negative thoughts and change them to something positive
- Practice being mindful
- Do something to distract yourself
- Focus on your breathing
- Make a list of things you can do
Fuel Yourself
Don’t forget to eat! When our schedules get crazy, it can be hard to find time to grocery shop, cook, and sit down to eat. However, to be on your A game this holiday season, you need to nourish yourself!
It is also important to remember that you do not need to restrict yourself to compensate for the extra holiday treats you may be eating. Restriction actually leads to more overeating. When you eat consistent, balanced meals and snacks, you will feel more in control around treats. Then you will be able to enjoy a cookie or two after work without wanting to eat the entire plate.
Make this holiday season as stress free as possible by implementing these 7 healthy hacks. You can’t make the stress go away, but you can do things to stand grounded, take care of yourself, and enjoy the season!