7 Ways to Find Balance During the Holiday Season
Posted in:
The holiday season is a busy time of year. On top of the grocery store lines getting longer and shopping carts filling up higher, countless social obligations as well as school and sports seem to multiply. While it can sometimes feel downright chaotic, there is a way to find some balance and sanity. Here are 7 ways to ease up the joy and toss out the stress this holiday season.
Keep it Easy
If there’s anything TeamSnap can suggest for the holiday season it is to simplify. One way to make things easier on yourself is to think about a meal delivery service so you don’t have to wait in the endless shopping lines. A meal delivery service will also take the stress off of you when it comes to cooking up a meal after a long day of schlepping the family to games and practices. Make your life easier and put your bills on autopay and shorten your task list by auto-piloting it all!
Prioritize
It can feel like everything and everyone is a priority during the holidays. Do your best to practice saying “no” to anything or anyone that doesn’t serve you this time of year. This will not only help you keep your sanity, but it will also help those around you feel better too. Decide which functions are an absolute yes and cross off anything that is a maybe and definitely a no.
Boundaries Are Your Best Friend
Boundaries can be hard to set when you find yourself wrapped up and involved in everything. Figure out some of your negotiable and set firm rules. It can be hard to say no, but it’s better to say no if it doesn’t help you or your family this season. This will only help you keep your head in the game and enjoy the family time to its fullest.
Take a Step Back
It can feel like you need to go a million miles a minute during the holidays. From never-ending checklists, to sugar overload and to everything in between, do yourself a favor and take a day or two to yourself. Give yourself the gift of a mental health day this time of year. Enjoy some quiet time, focus on you, and allow yourself time to think and breathe before the kids return home for a stretch over the holidays.
Create a Daily Routine
You may find yourself good on following a daily routine most of the year, but slipping over the holidays. The holidays shouldn’t be any different. Continue to prioritize your morning rituals, whether that’s a quiet moment with your cup of coffee, skincare routine, or walking the dog. Focus on setting mini goals and tangibles moments in the day that are habitual and feel good. Keeping a routine, when everything else is unpredictable during this time of year will only help your mental health. This will also keep you feeling good as you’re shuffling the kids out of the house and wrapping gifts until your hands feel weak!
Give Gratitude
Giving gratitude to yourself and others is a great way to remind ourselves what the purpose of this time of the year is all about. It’s less about the stressful hustle, time off, and perfect moments, and more about spending time with our loved ones and thinking about others. Practice giving gratitude to yourself, perhaps by way of self affirmations or journaling, and also practice giving gratitude to those around you. A simple comment like, “i’m grateful that we all get to spend this dinner together” is enough to remind everyone around you that they are also grateful for the company and meal.
Spread Things Out
One way to find balance throughout the holidays is to not center all of the activities and happenings around very few days. Spread out the holiday cheer and give yourself a break by taking the pressure of specific dates. Mix up the schedule and allow yourself some chill days followed by more social and busy days. This will make you and the whole family feel better and less worked up around this time of year.