The Holidays are a time of family, miracles, and lights. They can also be a time of great stress, but they don’t have to be! Sit back, relax, and discover how you can take care of yourself this holiday season! Holiday self-care can be rejuvenating and refreshing.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Anne Lamott
Holiday Self-Care UNPLUG!!!!!!
Take a break from Social Media. Social Media is a great place to connect with people you haven’t seen in a while. It is also a place that can cause you to compare yourself and your circumstances to everyone around you.
Remember people only post their A game or their Z game. Do you know how long it took to make that beautiful thing in the picture? Think about the chaos happening in the background that you can’t see in the picture. Everyone’s children wiggle and make messes just like yours!
Stop comparing yourself to others. You do not have to be perfect. You do not have to impress anyone. Enjoy what you have and the people you have around you.
Take time away from your phone and immediate communication. Enjoy the people around you and the activities that you are participating in. Have a warm cup of cocoa and read a book by the fire. Play a game with the family and fully engage in the here and now.
Holiday Self-Care Boundaries
It is ok to take a break. Take time to enjoy what you are doing and with whom you are doing it. Don’t fill every waking second of every day with something. Enjoy your family and fully enjoy the activities you are participating in.
Say no. Yes, you heard that right, say no. You do not have to do everything that everyone invites you to. Remember, when you say yes to something you are saying no to something else. What are your priorities this holiday season?
While on the topic of boundaries, keep the boundaries around your budget. It is amazing to give gifts. The research even shows that we are happier giving than receiving. That being said, create a budget at the beginning of the holiday season and stick to it. How much do you have to spend on Christmas gifts this year and how much will you spend on each person? Don’t let those sale signs tempt you. Make a list and check it twice. 🙂
Holiday Self-Care Physical Health
The holidays seem to be a time of business and plenty of food and beverage choices. Remember that your body is a well-tuned machine and it doesn’t care that it is the holidays. Keep yourself functioning at your best.
You need sleep for your body to recover from everything you have been doing. Keep a consistent bedtime even if you have time off work. You will sleep better and your body will thank you!
Treats are delicious around the holidays. Remember that you still need healthy food to function. Make wise choices for your meals at home. It is ok to indulge in a special treat here or there but it shouldn’t make up everything that you are eating. Love Christmas cookies? Eat 1 cookie a day instead of 5. Have a nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then enjoy a treat.
Drink plenty of water! There are plenty of temptations around the Holidays: hot Cocoa, Egg Nog, specialty cocktails, and wine. Drink responsibly and stay hydrated. You will feel better in the long run. Being dehydrated can cause you to be irritable and grumpy. Keep a water bottle with you when you are out and about.
Don’t forget to stay physical. You don’t have to run a marathon but take a walk in the crisp air. Breathe in the fresh air and soak up some vitamin D while you are at it. Vitamin D will give you energy and improve your mood. Physical activity will help burn off your stress hormones and those extra cookie calories.
SEL Unfiltered
Do you want to hear more? Check out the rest of our SEL and the Holidays series on our SEL Unfiltered podcast, wherever you stream your podcasts.
Check out other episodes in our SEL and the Holidays series, including Teaching Gratitude, Ways to Give, Supporting Students’ Holiday Needs, Holiday Diversity, and Holiday Fun.
Game of the Week
Every week on SEL Unfiltered we like to bring you a game or activity. You can use the game with your students, in the classroom, or in a small group. This week Kaitlin and I played Holiday Name that Tune.
Holiday Name That Tune is a fun way to engage your entire class. You can divide the class into teams or have the class compete against you to Name that Tune. There are lots of options on YouTube.
