How to avoid festive burnout and take care of yourself over the holiday season.
It is no secret that December is a busy month, with work events, family visits and Christmas parties galore – not to mention all the shopping, prepping and wrapping to do.
That’s without factoring in actual work and all the loose ends that need tying up before winding down for the holidays.
While the festive season is fun, it can also be filled with stress, pressure and a generous dollop of sleep deprivation.
Balancing family life, chores and work is never an easy task but the balance is even harder to find at Christmas, especially with the current political and economic climate putting a strain on all aspects of our lives.
The evening glasses of prosecco, end-of-year meetings and after-work events that occupy our calendar through December all take their toll, so we spoke to wellness coach and counsellor Holly Crosby from Think Me about the best way to look after yourself and your health.
Check out her top tips for prioritising yourself this Christmas and beating the festive burnout…
Striking a balance
As Christmas approaches it feels like we have much more to ‘fit in’ than usual. If this is the case, what events do you want to go to and which don’t you care much about? Just because we ‘usually’ do it or we’ve been invited doesn’t mean we have to. Saying no is okay! Generally, people won’t even question it and will understand. If going to an event is likely to add to your stress levels or leave you feeling overly tired for your early-morning meeting, then make sure you set your boundaries and prioritise your wellbeing.
But equally, it’s important to have fun and make the most of the festivities while you can! Enjoying yourself is good for your wellbeing. It looks different for us all, and if over the festive period it means going out a little more or overindulging a little then that’s okay too. It’s what Christmas is for…
To avoid burnout, a good tip is trying to spread out the timing of events wherever this is in your control. If there are multiple things happening in a week, but you know attending all of them will lead to exhaustion, prioritise the most important one and make your intentions clear.
When it comes to work, set your priorities ahead of time – planning is key. What needs to be completed and when by? What are the most urgent things on your agenda that you need to action right away? Make sure you do these before breaking off for festivities and then make a timeline of things to work on in the new year – you’ll enjoy the fun side of Christmas much more more knowing you’re on top of work and you’re in a good position when you come back.
Avoiding alcohol pressures
Drinking and Christmas usually come hand-in-hand, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you don’t drink alcohol, are looking to cut down on your consumption or just want to avoid the horrific hangovers, there are plenty of options available.
Lots of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol versions of lager/beer/wine are now on offer and they taste really good. You can alternate with these or just drink them all evening! Have the ‘mixer’ without the spirit and there are always non-alcoholic cocktails as well as alcohol versions.
Set your intentions and tell those you’re out with, otherwise they may well encourage you to drink while you’re out and that can be harder to resist. If you make your stance clear from the beginning, those around you will respect it.
It’s also a good idea to think ahead about things like how long you want to stay out for, how many or which bars you plan to go to and how you’re going to get home. This can help you stay on track and in the right mindset, without being tempted or easily swayed.
If there is anything you think Holly could help you with, then please drop her an email at holly@thinkmeinfo.co.uk
