For some, the holiday season can be a stressful and difficult time. There’s the pressure to be happy and entertain relatives while providing the perfect meal in the perfectly decorated home. If you’ve just moved in or have your home on the market, doing these things can be even more challenging. Not to mention the kids are out of school and need to be entertained. So what can you do to relax and stay positive during this time? Here’s a list of ideas to de-stress:
• Limit the holiday travel or visitors. The old saying that houseguests and fish need to go after three days is valid. If possible, limit your stay at another’s house to about this length of time. It will be plenty of time to catch up and participate in holiday activities, but not too much that you’ll be wishing it was time to go.
• When staying in a different home, you usually don’t sleep as well, which can lead to irritability and fatigue. You probably want to be on your best behavior so making sure you go to bed at your normal time is important. If the guests are staying in your home, do your best to wrap up the festivities at a reasonable hour and try to wake at the same time as you normally would. This will keep your sleep cycles on track and help you to feel your best.
• Routine is important for kids and adults alike, so sticking to your sleeping and eating times, as well as your exercise schedule, will help everyone feel more calm and relaxed.
• Make it semi-homemade. Cooking Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is time-consuming and is something that you can easily outsource to take some pressure off. Buy a pre-cooked turkey and just warm it up, or get a Honey Baked ham already prepared. Have guests bring side dishes. Pick up a pie from the local bakery. Focus your time and energy on that one favorite dish and let the rest fall into place with a little help.
• With all the family togetherness the holidays bring, remember to take some quiet moments for yourself. Whether that’s taking a yoga class, a walk outside, or spending some time with a good book, maintaining your sense of self can go a long way towards maintaining your sanity.