Self-Care: 5 things moms should do now to avoid holiday burnout

The holidays are here!  And we all know that means:  Parties!  Friends!  Family!  Fun!  and allofthefood…

But it can also mean:  Stress!  Exhaustion! weight-gain! and a general sense of overwhelm.

It’s true:  Holidays can be hazardous to your health.

As Moms especially, we tend to push hard during the holidays.  We work more and sleep less.  We stress more and exercise less.  We take care of everyone around us and put our own needs last.  And we especially tend to ignore any extra self-care during the holiday season.  (Go ahead–raise your hand if you completely skip shaving your legs in December!  hehe…and you thought no one would know…)

So I’m here to remind you:  You really need to take care of yourself.  Yes, even right now, smack in the middle of the holidays.  

I happen to believe that it’s possible to come out on the other side of things without:  Getting sick, gaining weight, disliking your family, or in general feeling like you’ve been run over by a truck.

And, though it might seem counterintuitive, the key to it all could be as simple as a little intentional self-care.

Yes my friends, the “put on your own oxygen mask first” mentality might just make the difference in your mental, emotional, and physical health this holiday season.

So–are you in?

Here’s five things I highly recommend you make a priority this month:

1.  SLEEP.

When you’re over-tired you are more likely to get sick, eat poorly, and be inefficient in the things you do. (not to mention be a big grouch to everyone around you!)

Alarms aren’t just for mornings any more.

Experts suggest you set a timer to go off when you need to hit the sack.  Put your sweet little body to bed, and get the rest you know you need.  We all have different needs, but my doctor-husband has told me that seven hours is the general recommendation.  I know there are a lot of things to do…but they can wait.  (And you’ll do them more efficiently when you’re rested too.)

2.  EXERCISE.  It’s easy to slack off on exercise when things get busy, but that’s not wise.  Even a short bout of exercise can get your heart pumping, the endorphins flowing, and in general make you feel better about your whole day.  And though exercise may not stop you from gaining holiday weight, research does show that we are more mindful about our eating on the days we exercise.

3.  PAMPERING.  Though your natural tendency is likely to neglect extra pampering during the holidays, I encourage you to do just the opposite.  A little self-care in the midst of the busy season can actually energize you to better serve everyone else!

Recently, my friend Jules and I snuck away for about three hours to get massages at the spa at Turtle Bay.  We arrived early enough to just hang out  in their peaceful open-air lounge (and pretend we were on vacation). Then we parted ways for an hour-long Aloha Nui Loa Massage (with botanical oils: pikake, ginger, and lime. Yeah, it was dreamy.)  At the end we were like wet noodles, so we took some extra time to lounge a little more, sipping cucumber water while wrapped in fluffy white robes.  It was a little slice of heaven.

Two hours later we were both back at our homes,  folding laundry and feeding our families.  But man–that afternoon away worked wonders!

So I encourage you to go for it:  Take an afternoon to book a massage, or a pedicure, facial, or do whatever you can to pamper yourself.  And if all else fails–exchange foot massages with your husband, take a bubble bath, or give yourself a home facial!

Take good care of yourself this season–not just in spite of the holidays, but because of them!  

4.  DATE NIGHT.  You might think you’re too busy to fit in a date night, but that would be a big mistake.  Christmas is the most romantic time of the year!  (don’t you agree?)   Dinner and some Christmas shopping is a great date idea!

Even if you can’t take much time, a coffee date with a stroll through the Christmas-lit town is pretty awesome.

5.  SPIRITUAL TIME.  We often skip out on a devotions or time with God when we’re busy, but it’s not worth it.  If you’re like me, taking the time to read the Bible and pray will set a positive and peaceful tone for the rest of the day.

This year, I am not only enjoying my quiet time doing an advent study every morning, but our family is loving the Sacred Holidays  family advent study every night.  (It’s our first time doing an advent study as a family.)  If you want to join the Sacred Holiday study, it’s not too late!  There are digital copies available at the Sacred Holidays site!
(and look for a special contributor on December 23rd!  *wink*)

6.  QUIET.  Finally.  Even on the busiest of days, we need to pull away and just be still.  Listen to a beautiful Christmas song, or sit under the tree and sip some tea.  Do not let this season rush by you without slowing down to enjoy it!  Hopefully you have downloaded and printed the Meditation cards I shared recently, so you might want to use these mid-day, or before you sleep!  Taking time to breathe and rest in the middle of the season is so healthy for all of us!

OK Moms…Here’s to the most wonderful time of the year!  I hope you will take my advice and take care of yourself this season–for the good of everyone!

Share in comments!?  Are you good at taking care of yourself this time of the year? How do you stay healthy in the midst of the busy season?  Any simple pampering tips?  I can’t wait to be inspired! 

also, and as always:  If you enjoyed this post I would be honored for you to share it with your friends using the social media share buttons below! 😉

With Aloha,
Monica

PS  Are you on instagram?  Every week this season I am sharing a video with some #lifestyle tips for the holidays on my @healthyhappyandfree feed!  I’m talking about things like our mindset at parties, facing allofthefood, and how to keep your head in it all.  I hope you’ll join me over there!