It’s that time of the year again. For various reasons, some of us love it, while some of us dread it. And despite its various demands and expectations, the holiday season can be a beautiful time. But it can also be overwhelmingly stressful if we don’t prioritize self-care.
Here are five simple, no-cost self-care ideas to alleviate holiday stress so that you navigate the season smoothly and with joy.
1. Avoiding Overcommitment
“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” —Paolo Coehlo
Too many social events can lead to fatigue and stress. Granted, it’s the season when invitations abound (albeit some are forced and out of obligation). It’s OK to decline politely - “No, I won’t be coming to your cookie baking and ugly sweater evening, but thank you for thinking of me.”
Sounds simple, right? But as a recovering people pleaser, I know sometimes saying No can feel uncomfortable. So instead of saying yes immediately, buy time. Try something like, “Let me get back to you on that.” It gives you a window to consider whether you have the emotional capacity to show up and have meaningful connections instead of spreading yourself too thin out of obligation.
Being mindful of your well-being and managing your stress levels is not selfish; some people will understand, and some won’t. Depending on the relationship, you can both reconsider another time to meet when it fits all parties.
2. Anticipate Your Emotional State
“Sometimes self-care is exercising and eating right. Sometimes, it’s spending time with loved ones or taking a nap. And sometimes, it’s watching an entire television series on one weekend while you lounge around in your pajamas. Whatever soothes your soul.” — Nanea Hoffman
Holidays come with mixed emotions; they can trigger feelings of loneliness or sadness for some people. Grief can resurface if you have lost loved ones or are estranged; that is why taking time to figure out a way to buffer these holiday-related feelings helps.
Plan nurturing activities and spend quality time with people who understand. It’s OK to acknowledge and feel our painful emotions but to avoid spiraling, do a fun activity afterward. If you miss a loved one, consider looking at photos that bring up happy memories or talking about the good times you shared.
Holidays can feel heavy when I get to thinking about my belated mom, so I anticipate how to manage those feelings with self-care. One thing that helps me remember her fondly is preparing the yummy chicken she made for us. By cooking it for others, I do something I enjoy, take the focus off my grief, and rekindle happy memories.
You can also volunteer or visit the less fortunate who can not repay you. Studies reveal that by bringing someone else joy, we also experience joy.
3. Take to Journaling
“Keeping a journal of what’s going on in your life is a good way to help you distill what’s important and what’s not.” — Martina Navratilova
An underrated form of self-care, journaling is a free way to relieve stress and practice self-awareness. It’s a therapeutic way to reflect, focus on positive things, practice mindfulness, and organize thoughts.
Journaling provides a healthy emotional outlet for expressing pain, grief, or other big emotions, helping to navigate and process difficult holiday situations. I heard someone call it the 1 dollar therapy session because all one needs to get started is a 1 dollar notebook.
Writing down things you’re thankful for is a great way to improve your mood because gratitude journals shift our perspective.
Another way to practice self-care during the holidays with journaling is to track your personal and professional growth. In addition to doing a year-end review and setting goals for the new one, I enjoy reviewing old journal entries. Sometimes, we’re so focused on where we want to go we forget how far we’ve come. Journaling is a great way to internalize and celebrate your progress.
4. Plan to Rest
“As important as it is to have a plan for doing work, it is perhaps more important to have a plan for rest, relaxation, self-care, and sleep.” — Akiroq Brost
Without time for self-care, the holiday season can get so stressful that we barely have time to catch a breath before the New Year when the demands of life start all over again. In our fast-paced world, relaxation and rejuvenation are shunned in some circles. (Hello, toxic productivity and hustle culture.) Always performing, aka workaholism, can get us addicted to stress hormones, leaving us feeling uncomfortable and guilty about resting.
But your body is not a machine; even machines have regular maintenance times scheduled. Take time to intentionally Pencil in some resting time over the next few weeks.
Some proven benefits of recharging time are better sleep and concentration. Weight management and mood regulation. Improved problem-solving skills and creativity. Adequate rest also supports your immune system and cardiovascular health, mitigates burnout, and thus facilitates healthy high performance.
As you see, resting is a good thing. But does sitting or lying around doing nothing feel like a waste of time and bring up feelings of shame about “being lazy”?
Yeah, me too. Weird feeling… So try this: instead of another to-do list, consider journalling about why you feel guilty about resting. I promise that helps because when we create self-awareness around why we do the things we do (especially things that no longer serve us), we can begin to consider alternatives.
5. Home Spa Day
“Do something nice for yourself today. Find some quiet, sit in stillness, and breathe. Put your problems on pause. You deserve a break.” — Akiroq Brost
During holidays, many caregivers, parents, and compassion workers enjoy pouring into the lives of others. We shop, wrap presents, cook up a storm, clean, and decorate the home. It’s a beautiful time to serve each other. Yet, by default, some do more than others, and when output is more than input, overwhelming holiday stress can be the result.
One way to mitigate this is by curving some pampering time and creating a calm, nurturing space to which you can periodically retreat to.
A spa experience using items you already have at home can be just as rejuvenating as getting professional services. Here are a few DIY spa ideas:
- Decorate your retreat space with sights, smells, and sounds that nurture your senses. I recently discovered fireplace sounds on YouTube, and there’s something about the crackling and flickering in silence, especially if it’s snowing outside.
- Your nurturing space can have fuzzy blankets, fluffy throws, and pillows. Fresh flowers, lush house plants, soft lights, or scented candles.
- Soak in a warm bath with Epsom salts or essential oils. Consider including Lavender, which is calming and used to relieve stress in aromatherapy.
- A long, relaxing shower with your favorite bath products will also do. Imagine the stress of the day leaving your body as it flows down and into the drain.
- Pat dry with your best towels that you can warm up before, then put on your fluffy bathrobe.
- Ask your partner to massage your damp skin with scented body lotions or moisturize yourself with nice-smelling body butter.
- Indulge in a face mask with homemade products like plain yogurt, honey, or oatmeal. I use a home face steamer to prepare my skin before such a mask.
- Give yourself a facial, pedicure, and or manicure.
- Lie under a weighted blanket, wear an eye mask, and listen to soothing calming music.
- Sneak off to a quiet room, lock the door, and take a nap. If the house is loud and busy, you can hang up a “Do Not Disturb” sign like in hotels.
- Claim a quiet outdoor space, balcony, man cave, or nook by a window where you can sit and enjoy a soothing cup of your favorite beverage. Go easy on caffeinated drinks if you want to slow down.
- Relax with a book, unwind with your favorite Netflix series, or enjoy a movie complete with popcorn and soda. If you’re into stand-up comedy like me, binge-watch some sets. Laughter is an excellent way to de-stress.
And there you have it: five simple, cost-free ways to practice self-care, recharge your batteries, and reduce holiday stress.
Do you want to establish a self-care routine beyond the holidays? Download my 14-day Ideas Checklist and develop a nurturing habit.
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