Blog Post 98: Self Care During the Holidays
Self care often takes a backseat during the holidays. But as life gets chaotic and hectic, as is typical during the holidays, we must pay even more attention to prioritizing our health and wellness. It is ironic that during stressful times, self care falls lower on the priority list. Self care isn’t one particular thing, but rather a combination of actions that can enhance our energy, mood, and resilience. It’s not an extravagant indulgence, though spa days can certainly be relaxing and uplifting! Basic self care is doing the absolutely critical things to support mental and physical wellness. There are six fundamental components of self care:
Setting boundaries. Are you saying no to things you don’t have to do? Things that obligate your time and energy but are not of high value to you? It can be hard to say no, but if we over-commit, we run the risk of wearing ourselves down and not being able to follow through on other commitments. It’s not only ok to set boundaries, but it can actually be in everyone’s best interest to say no when you need time to recharge.
Taking breaks. The research is clear - taking breaks every 90 minutes at work helps our mental productivity. This is true of the holiday season as well if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed. It’s always in your best interest to take breaks - even five to 10 minutes to slow down and do something restorative like deep breathing, light stretching, or a mindfulness exercise.
Exercise. It’s easy to put off exercise when life gets busy, but we must make sure to stay physically active. It doesn’t have to be a full scale workout routine, just something feasible. Perhaps it’s taking some time to stretch or go on a short walk. The important thing is to get your body in motion.
Nutrition. When stress ramps up, good eating habits can easily slide - so we must stay mindful of how we are nourishing ourselves. Good habits include eating on a regular cadence, taking plenty of time to eat, selecting nutritious, nourishing food, and enjoying the experience.
Sleep. The holidays can disrupt our sleep patterns - we may stay up later than usual, or travel throws off our schedule. Sleep is such an important opportunity to recharge batteries, so we must create a bedtime routine that allows us to unwind, relax, and set ourselves up for the highest quality sleep - even after a holiday event. An uninterrupted seven to eight hours is what experts recommend as the full optimum sleep for most adults.
Social connections. Humans are social beings; we are wired for connection. Even introverts must be mindful of connecting to the people who are important to us. Feeling isolated and alone is so detrimental to our health, so we must take time to reach out to people, even if it’s a simple text.