Self-care during the Holiday Season

During the holiday season, we are likely to be socialising more, eating and drinking more, sleeping less, and making less time for self-care activities. 

Here are some tips for maintaining self-care during the holiday season.

Maintain social connections but reserve your energy

During the holiday season, we typically engage in more outings and planned social activities. While it is important to spend time with family and friends, it is equally important to create healthy boundaries. Often, we put ourselves last and do not make time for self-care. Enjoy your social engagements but remember to schedule time for yourself to rest, relax and rejuvenate. 

Prioritise exercise and healthy habits

Maintain your exercise routine and focus on healthy eating. The additional social activities during the holiday season mean we eat and drink more than usual. Without taking away from the fun and enjoyment, try to monitor and balance what you are eating and drinking. 

Protect your sleep

Sleep is essential for your overall wellbeing, and therefore, necessary to protect during the holiday season. Read this short guide for some tips on how to maintain good quality sleep. 

Manage your thoughts

Remember to be kind to yourself, keep things in perspective and have an optimistic outlook. The holiday season can be very stressful and overwhelming for some people, especially with the added family and social obligations. Read this guide to discover tips to release daily stress.    

Rest and rejuvenation – self-care activity ideas:

• Plan a staycation
• Reset your daily/weekly routine
• Make a to-do list
• Digital detox (clean out your inbox, digital files, cancel online subscriptions)
• Listen to a podcast
• Make time every day to unplug from technology
• Attend to your garden
• Meditate 
• Read
• Listen to soothing music
• Start a gratitude journal or download a gratitude app
• Do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle
• Do an activity that gets you into your ‘flow state’ (also known as being ‘in the zone’ when you are fully immersed in the activity at hand). For example, colouring, painting, doing a jigsaw puzzle or dancing
• Light a candle, burn some incense or aromatherapy oils