Self-Care Tips for the Busy Holiday Season

We’re nearing the end of Q4, the holidays are underway, and you may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, irritable, tired, or all of the above.

Here are three tips you can use to ground yourself this month if you feel like you’re being pulled in a dozen directions.

1 Don’t overcommit

Overcommitment is a trap that too many of us fall into during this busy time of year. While it may be tempting to attend every social gathering or local event, saying yes to too many things will only increase your stress levels and decrease your end-of-year productivity.

Make a list of everything you think you have to do before the holidays. Then, separate each point on your list into three sections: Important, nice-to-have/do, and not that important. For example, going Christmas shopping with your grandma may be a top priority that makes you realize attending a colleague’s party isn’t a priority this year.

Prioritize what matters most and kindly say no to the rest.

2 Say no when you need to

Nothing kills the holiday vibe more than going to an event because you feel like you have to.

No one is forcing you to do anything. Ninety percent of the time, saying no to a non-mandatory gathering isn’t disrespectful. A simple, “Thanks so much for the invite, but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it. Looking forward to catching up in the New Year.” is a simple and polite way to decline an invitation.

3 Block out the first week of the New Year

New Year, new habits! One of the best gifts you can give yourself is time. When January rolls around, give yourself the first week of the month to ease back into a daily routine and catch up on life. If possible, keep your calendar free of events so that you can partake in whatever goal setting and self-care tasks you’d like.

Remember, you owe yourself the same attention you so freely give to your loved ones during the holiday season.