With all that there is to do at this very busy time of year, it’s easy to let your own self-care fall to the bottom of the list. Yes, I know — you do not need to add one more thing to your to-do list! But read through the list below and try to find just one thing you can do for YOU, in the limited time you have.
Self-care if you have 30 seconds or less:
*pray. If you don’t know what to say, try Anne Lamott’s suggestions: Help. Thanks. Wow.
*take 5 deep breaths (breathing in for a count of five, exhaling for a count of five).
*notice areas of tightness in your body and stretch or massage the area.
*be grateful. Look around and find at least five things for which you are grateful.
*give yourself a pep talk. If you have written affirmations for yourself (see my morning routine post), pull those out and say them aloud, if possible.
*play a favorite holiday music station on Spotify or any other music app
*light a candle, preferably one with a holiday scent! Here are some options from Amazon:
Yankle Candle Balsam & Cedar
Holiday candle set
Self-care if you have 5 minutes or less:
*pray. Keep a prayer list on your phone or just pray about your current need or situation.
*check your to-do list and identify one to three things that would be the next “right” things to do to ease your stress. Getting just a few things done will make you feel better about everything else on your list.
*speaking of that to-do list — is there anything you can delegate to someone else?
*close your eyes and visualize yourself the way you want to feel right now.
Do you want to feel organized and productive? Imagine yourself in organized and neat surroundings, checking items off your to-do list.
Do you want to feel calm and relaxed? Imagine yourself looking and feeling calm and relaxed — your facial expression, your body language, your tone, your words.
*jumping up and down! It sounds crazy but it does wonders for getting you energized and ready to get back to all the holiday tasks.
*yoga poses – try any of these poses: cobra, down dog, bow, tree, bridge, or child’s pose. Google how to do them if you’re not sure, or use Yoga with Adriene on youtube.
*meditate and breathe deeply
*take a shower and use good-smelling bath products
*change into something cute AND comfy – not just your regular old yoga pants or sweatpants.
*write in a journal
*call your mom or any person that makes you feel better
*make lists – what’s going well, what you have already completed, what you want to do next – whatever comes to mind
*do a “brain dump” in your journal or planner or any piece of paper. You could even type your brain dump or use an app. Just write down anything and everything that comes to mind. You don’t have to keep it, but often there will be things that come up in your brain dump that will give you clues as to what to do next to ease your stress.
*enjoy a cup of coffee, hot tea, cider or hot chocolate
*wash your face and put on some makeup
*brush your hair or style it another way
*get outside and go for a walk
*do something creative — write, draw, take pictures, play music, sing.
*listen to music on Spotify or any music app. Even listening to just one or two favorite songs will make a big difference!
*declutter something — a table top, an area of your desk, a drawer. Whatever is annoying you right now. Even if you can’t get the whole thing organized, just cleaning up part of it will make you feel accomplished.
Self-care if you have 10 minutes or more:
*Pray. Start with gratitude and name as many things or people as you possibly can. Then go through your entire prayer list, praying for specific needs and specific people. Add items to your prayer list if possible.
*Exercise. I know – you don’t have time. But even 15 minutes will make a big difference. It also helps to set up an exercise “area” in your home. It doesn’t have to be an entire home gym — just an area where you go to exercise your body and relax your mind.
*Meditate for a longer period of time.
*Take a walk outside. Even just a few minutes will help clear your mind and calm your body.
*Read. Anything you want and for as long as you can!
*If it’s the afternoon, take a brief nap. If it’s evening, try to go to bed early and get some extra sleep.
*Put your pajamas or favorite comfy clothes in the dryer for a few minutes before changing into them.
*Watch a favorite holiday movie. Or anything on Hallmark Christmas channel!
*Learn how to do something new. Youtube is a great source for videos on how to do just about everything. Set a time limit for yourself if you need to, but consider this to be productive downtime!
*Declutter something — a drawer, a shelf, a whole closet if you have the time!
*Go through your to-do list — can anything be deleted or delegated?
*Schedule a day off work. I have done this for years and find that it is a huge help in reducing holiday stress. I plan for it, I get a good substitute for my school kids, and I use the day off to get many Christmas tasks completed. And I do not feel one ounce of guilt. Try it!
I hope that some of these tips will help you to take care of yourself during this busy season. Happy Holidays!