Are you nervous thinking about how the holiday season is going to go this year? Does the thought of the holidays make you feel stressed out? The holidays can be fun, but if you have small children, there can also be other expectations to deal with that can make them a little more stressful. It is important to remember during this time to take care of yourself and make time for you and your needs.
Depending on your holiday season, there could be many activities and events that you need to attend or host. This can be stressful, but if you make sure to participate in self-care, this can help to reduce the stress level. One of the first things that can be helpful is to think about what are the things that you need to get done and then think about if there are any tasks that can be delegated. Making a plan of how and when to get tasks done can provide some stress relief so that you do not need to remember everything. If there are tasks that can be delegated, this can also reduce some stress as you will not be responsible for everything.
Making sure you have time for self-care is going to be important. For some people, this may mean that they need to put it on their calendar so that they make sure to have time for it. Think about how much self-care time you will need and how often you will need this time. For some, having daily self-care time is important and others can have it for a longer period of time but not as often. Think about your needs and what works for you when planning this time.
This year may still be different from previous years as the pandemic has not yet ended and people still have different opinions of how it should be handled. This means that you need to decide what you are comfortable doing and let others know what your plans and expectations for the holiday season are. Remember that while everyone may not agree on the best plan, most people are doing what they feel is best for their families. Make sure to decide what is best for you before you start making plans. It will be easier to know what you are comfortable with before you have to start making decisions about what your holiday season is going to look like.
Remember that time for yourself does not always need to be an elaborate plan, but can be simple things as well. Do you enjoy reading or going for a walk? Do you enjoy soaking in a bubble bath? All of these can provide time for you to slow down and relax which is important when there are a whirlwind of activities happening. Think about what helps you to feel relaxed and make sure you set up time for these.
It is important to remember that taking time for yourself is not selfish and is important. You cannot take care of others and provide support for those that need it if you are not taking care of yourself. While there may be times when an emergency arises that you need to put off your self-care time for a little while, make sure that you are sticking with you plan as much as possible.
If you are looking for more ideas around self-care or ways that you can make sure to set these into your schedule, feel free to reach out to me.
