Between holiday parties and family gatherings and decorating and baking and shopping and gift wrapping, this time of year can feel like a whirlwind. Here are a few ways you can make more time for yourself this holiday season.
Manage your expectations
This is rule number one for a reason. If you love the holiday season as much as we do, it’s so easy to build it up in your head, stress about doing all the things you think you should be doing and then feel disappointed when you don’t get to them. You don’t have to host a Pinterest-perfect holiday party that is going to cause you more stress than anything or go on one of those Instagram adorable ice skating dates if you really just need the sleep instead.
Don’t be afraid to decline
That family gathering attended by all your siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents? Yeah, you should probably go to that. That holiday party being hosted by your old roommate that you haven’t spoken to in more than a decade? If you don’t feel like going, don’t go. Thank her for the invite, tell her that you won’t be able to make it and then spend the night wrapping gifts or catching up on sleep or whatever you need.
Don’t do everything for everyone
If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. We get it. But you’re going to end up doing everything yourself. Instead, delegate. Send your boyfriend or husband a list of things to pick up for the party you’re hosting. Ask each of your cousins to bring a dish to the family dinner. Tell your brother it’s his turn to put up lights for your parents.
Cut down on gift-giving
Take a look at your holiday shopping list. You need to get gifts for your immediate family, sure, but your neighbour who you only see in passing when you’re leaving for work? She doesn’t need more wine. Trimming down your list will not only save you money, you won’t have to stress about coming up with ideas and you won’t have to spend as much time at the mall.
Take a day off from work
If you have any vacation days, sick days or overtime hours that you need to use before the end of the year, use them. Seriously. Even if you don’t need to use them up, do it anyway. Use them to do your holiday shopping when the malls are a little less insane, use them to do holiday baking or to get ready for your family gathering or use them to sit in a bubble bath and drink tea all day. Just use them.
Do something that’s good for your health
With the holiday season being so busy, it can be hard to make time for your health, but if you sign up for a class, you’re a lot more likely to actually go to it. Stumbling late into that hot yoga class with a bunch of shopping bags on one arm and a roll of wrapping paper under another might not seem super zen but you’ll feel so much better when you’re done, we promise.
