.png)
In the midst of the holiday season, it can be all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of gift purchases, festive parties and perfecting grandma’s cookie recipe.
Oftentimes, the holidays are more complicated and less restful than we imagine or hope for, leaving us wrung out and ready to crawl into a hole just in time for our normal routines to start again.
Instead of falling prey to the holiday woes, here are my top 5 tips to choose simplicity, preserve sanity, and welcome the shiny new year with anticipation + glee.
start your day with purpose Routines are often the first to be sacrificed when life gets stressful or busy. Hold tightly to your morning ritual and start the day with purpose. Go for a brisk walk, take a moment to pause + breathe, or brew your favorite warm bevvie while you set intentions for the day. By the time 5 pm rolls around [and there is no peace OR quiet to be found] you will be grateful you did!
delight in friendship Don’t get so caught up in family holiday gatherings that friendships get put on the backburner. This season, aim to prioritize spending time with friends who know you and allow you to slow down, laugh and just be. Take turns hosting or cook a meal together as you relish in the gift of soul-filling community.
outsource stress Consider what it might look like to delegate one or two tasks to someone else to free up your plate to take on another responsibility [or not!]. Order takeout one night during the week, create a family chore chart or ask a coworker for help with a project. You may even consider temporarily hiring out for assistance with household tasks that have fallen by the wayside.
learn to say no With an array of opportunities + obligations that pop up during this time of year, saying yes might seem like the only option. When approached with an ask, consider the impact saying “yes” could have on your sanity, your family and your overall well-being. My rule of thumb is if it isn’t a “hell yes!”, it’s a no.
log off Practice being present by establishing times [of the day AND week] to go tech-free. Consider logging off of all tech at 8 pm and waiting a full 12 hours to log back in again. OR consider creating one day of the week to be completely disengaged from all tech. Apart from lowering your anxiety levels, your presence will be the true gift to those around you!
As you head into the holidays, set aside time to care for yourself and engage in activities that fill you on a soul-level. If you don’t resonate with the options listed above, carve out some time today to dream about what you will cling to this season to keep you grounded + present.
Here’s to this holiday season being the best [sanest] one yet!