The holiday season is upon us and many are looking forward to well-deserved time off work, enjoying delicious food and drinks, and spending the holidays with their families.
However, whilst it may be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ for most, for some people it can be the opposite.
For many, the holiday season can be stressful, overwhelming, and difficult to cope with – such as those who have lost loved ones, people who are struggling financially or emotionally due to burnout from work, or those feeling the pressure to please family and friends and have the ‘perfect’ Christmas. Plus, with the added uncertainty that the Omicron variant is bringing to the world in recent weeks, it can all make Christmas and New Year quite an overwhelming affair.
It’s important to take steps to relax and care for your wellbeing during the holiday season, especially if you are one such person that is finding it difficult to cope or know of someone else who is. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the holiday season and look after your mental health in a positive way.
Focus on your physical health
Christmas and New Year are often times of indulgence, which is not something to be discouraged as we all deserve a nice treat! However, this does cause our usual routines to be disrupted, so it’s important to balance overindulgence with self-care. If consuming alcohol, try to remain hydrated with a soft drink or water in between rounds, and don’t drink on an empty stomach. After big meals or an indulgence in treats, such as crisps or sweets, make the effort to go for a short walk afterwards. Try to go to bed at your normal time – or at least allow yourself additional time to sleep in the next day if you anticipate you will be staying up late – to ensure you can function properly and feel well rested. Do the usual things like avoiding screens before bed, cutting back on caffeine, and creating a restful environment.
All of these things will help balance the indulgence with some proper self-care.
Don’t put pressure on yourself
At Christmas, we often put ourselves under a huge amount of pressure – both financial and emotional – in order to attain that ‘perfect Christmas’ that we see in films. A sense of inadequacy exacerbated by social media, in particular, can leave many people feeling upset, stressed, and left behind. However, it’s important to not expect too much of yourself, and try your best to limit excess pressure. Try to think about all the good things in your life, big or small, this Christmas; everything you cherish, value, and love. It’s your Christmas too, and you deserve a break just as much as anyone else.
After all, just think about how unimportant all those Christmas preparations will feel in a few weeks.
Take time out for yourself
Christmas is usually a time for family gatherings, work parties, and meetups with friends, but it’s also important to factor in some “me time”. Take some dedicated time out to do the things that you want to do – whether it’s catching up on your favourite shows, reading a book you just got for Christmas, or even a nice relaxing bath with candles and music. As long as it is something you want to do and it boosts your mood, then it doesn’t matter what it is.
Mindfulness meditation is also a great practice for relieving stress and other negative emotions. Find a quiet place to sit down and take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and the world around you – if your mind wanders, no worries. Just try to bring your mind back to that peaceful place where you focus on you.
I hope these tips can give you some comfort and support this December, so you can fully enjoy the holiday season and go into the new year feeling rested and recharged. I also have a short video with several more tips to help you cope with the festive period, which you can view above.
If you need further guidance, advice or support, feel free to contact me on 07949785334 or info@withinspiration.co.uk.
