Don’t let the holidays make you holi-crazed.
The holiday season can pull you in many directions. Identify what you care most about and what you can skip. “You cannot participate in everything. We indirectly put more pressure on ourselves” when we try to do otherwise, says Jenn Watterman Moore, a small business consultant and CEO of In Purpose On Purpose.
Some people can send out hundreds of holiday cards and bake dozens of cookies for an office party. Others post a festive greeting on social media and tote a bottle of wine to every gathering. Determine what works best for you and don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
“If you want to be merry, be realistic about what balance means in your life and what choices you need to make to achieve it,” says Maura Thomas, founder of RegainYourTime and author of Work Without Walls: An Executive’s Guide to Attention Management, Productivity, and the Future of Work.
Be realistic about work tasks around the busy season. “The key to balance isn’t necessarily some specific split between work and play,” says Thomas. “It’s about coming out of denial about whether the schedule you’ve chosen for yourself is working. Do you feel balanced or do you feel stressed out?” she notes.
Modify your healthy lifestyle goals to fit the season. For example, you might not maintain a weight loss, but you can try to minimize gain. “Chances are you’ll find yourself in front of multiple buffets this holiday season, but portion control is paramount through the holidays,” says Marcello Pedalino, a fitness trainer and speaker and the author of Celebrate Life.
Staying with family might increase your holiday stress, and work travel during the holiday season might be taxing. Ease the experience with the wellness amenities available at EVEN Hotels. With bamboo sheets, in-room yoga mats, the Athletic Studio gym and the Cork & Kale Market & Bar, the hotel offers elements that make it easier to maintain your health goals on the road.
Stay calm and collected by trying some natural stress relief methods. These can include simple meditation — sitting by yourself, putting in your earbuds and listening to music you find soothing or just letting your mind focus on a calming phrase, such as “I feel at peace.” Or simply take a walk outside, especially in nature — another proven way to reduce your stress.
Cheryl Alkon is a Massachusetts-based writer, researcher and editor, and the author of Balancing Pregnancy With Pre-Existing Diabetes: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. Find her on Twitter at @Lyrehca.