It’s that time of year again! Cozy sweaters, the crackle of a wood fire, baking your favorite cookies, and quality time with family. OR pure chaos that begins in October and doesn’t end until January! The holidays are stressful, even in the happiest of households. Whether it’s getting everything done with the kids running around, trying to find the perfect gifts for your closest family and friends, or even feelings of loneliness - things can get crazy this time of year. So much planning, cleaning, schedule changes, and stress can take its toll on moms that often, it’s hard to maintain a happy, positive outlook.
Here are 5 ways you can beat holiday stress this year and truly enjoy the holidays.
Set Your Priorities
If you’ve ever had to travel to multiple homes on the same day or over multiple days in a row, you know how exhausting that can be. Set your priorities and explain to your family that you will only be attending one or two events so you aren't driving or flying everywhere. Especially when you have an infant or young kids, travelling can quickly become a burden.
If you enjoy hosting, extend the offer to your family so they can come to you. It's a big task to host an event, so make sure to give yourself enough time to prepare or host a potluck, so everyone can contribute a dish they love.
Plan Fun Activities and Traditions
With so many activities and holiday plans, you can easily overschedule yourself. Plan a few activities and traditions that you want to hold onto every year and make them a priority. As your kids get older, their excitement about Christmas will grow as the traditions you create shape how they feel about it!
A few easy traditions can include decorating sugar cookies, building a gingerbread house, and watching your favorite Christmas movies over and over again throughout all of December.
Schedule Time for Yourself
Don’t forget to relax! Even if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holidays, you still need to find time to recharge. Take advantage of family in town and sneak away for a date night. Schedule the facial you’ve been meaning to get around to. Connect with other moms, schedule a playdate, or go for coffee.
Coffee dates after school pick-up or Friday evening playdates while the moms chat and enjoy a glass of wine have been a fantastic way to connect with other moms. And don’t worry, if you’re a new mom struggling to find mom friends, join local Facebook groups or download apps that connect you with other moms in your area.
Another way to get your time back and give yourself a break is to meal plan or use a delivery service. As a mom, tools like these are a lifesaver when life gets too crazy. Whether you use them regularly or occasionally, they can save you a lot of hassle. Having a meal or groceries delivered frees up more time to focus on your family, relax, or get other important things done.
Stick to Your Regular Schedule
Maintaining healthy habits during the holiday season will be one of the best ways to combat stress. Getting enough sleep, eating well, taking your supplements and keeping your workout routine are essential ways to maintain your goals and feel your best. When you have additional activities on top of your regular schedule, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but you never want to put yourself last. This is one of the fastest ways to burn yourself out.
Movement is one of the best things you can do to relieve stress. If you can, schedule your workouts first thing in the morning to ensure you make the time. It’s easy to miss a workout because the day gets away or your too tired. Remember, something is always better than nothing, even if you can only do a 10-15 minute workout.
Get Outdoors
There’s amazing research that shows that getting outdoors reduces cortisol (our stress hormone). Fresh air, nature and vitamin D can help improve our overall mental health. Getting outside doesn’t have to be extravagant. It can be as simple as taking a walk around the block, jumping in puddles, playing in the park, or walking down to the river
Remember, the holidays don’t have to be perfect. What matters is spending quality time with the people you care about and being in the moment. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try taking Everydae Mood capsules to help your body cope with the stress. Each capsule is packed with calming and uplifting ingredients to help you feel your best. And remember, you got this mama! Wishing you a happy and stress-free holiday season!
