5 Reminders To Maintain Your Mental Health During The Holidays
The holidays can be a stressful time for many people. From the hustle and bustle of shopping for gifts to dealing with family members, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the season. I have witnessed friends and family getting stressed out over holidays. That's why it's essential to take extra steps to ensure you're taking care of your mental health during this particular time of year.
Here are five reminders to help you stay sane during the holiday season.
Make Time For Yourself
This is a time to celebrate with our loved ones, but for many of us, it is also a long-awaited break from work, so don’t forget to make time for yourself. Write down one or two things you would like to spend time doing this holiday and put that into your calendar.
A good example is spending half a day on your own, having lunch and walking at the local park or visiting a museum, just you and a book with hot chocolate for 2 hours. etc.
A little bit of “me time” will soothe the soul, boost your energy levels and give you time to recharge - so that when it comes to celebrating with family or friends, you'll be more ready to connect with them!
Have One Or Two Non-Negotiable Self-Care Routine
With a busy schedule coming up, it is easy to put our self-care routine aside. So instead of putting it away entirely, plan 2 self-care routines you can do daily, one for your mental health (5 mins daily journal, reading one chapter of a book, short meditation etc) and one for your physical health (20 mins walk a day can do you wonders, or walk around a grocery store if it’s too cold, a short workout or yoga stretches etc).
Choose activities that won't take away from your holidays too much but that you are sure to thank yourself for after.
You Don’t Have To Attend Every Gathering Or Stay For The Full Event
Many of us are still recovering from the COVID isolation, and we don’t have as much social energy as we used to. If that’s the case for you, give yourself permission to arrive late, leave early for holiday events, or even not go. You can always schedule another time with the people you want to see after the holidays. We don’t have to pack everything in these few weeks.
Don't feel obligated to push yourself beyond your limits! If there are events, you don’t have the energy to attend, plan a different activity or even take some time alone to relax. There’s no point in getting yourself exhausted in the holiday season and then dealing with mental and physical impact afterwards when work starts again.
Celebrate It However Way You Like!
This time of the year seems to come with many expectations of how we should spend this time and what we need to buy. Remind yourself that it is okay to celebrate the holiday season differently or not at all! It does not have to be picture-perfect expectations, and not everyone has the same plans or experiences.
There are ways to unplug, reflect and reset on what truly matters this time of the year - it could be spending quality time with family, using this time to reflect, or not doing anything. Let's remember there are many other opportunities throughout the year to feel loved, seen and appreciated, so let's give ourselves grace during this stressful time.
Check-In With Yourself
Take some time to check in with yourself to make sure you are not overextending your mental, physical and financial energy.
Look at how much is on your plate this holiday season; break big goals into smaller actionable items and see where you can get assistance from family/friends - don't be afraid to delegate!
Write out the different events you have planned and expenses, and take a moment to ask if this works for you or if you feel like you’ve overextended your resources and make adjustments if needed. We don’t always have to keep up with traditions that drain our energies.
Taking care of our mental health can already be challenging throughout the year and can be even tougher at this time. We hope these reminders are helpful in taking care of your mental health. Happy holidays!! We wish you time and energy for self-care. We wish you a genuine connection. We wish you time to play and create art! We wish you compassion.