How to Prioritize Self-Care Around the Holidays

The holiday season is typically welcomed with an air of joy and festivity each year. However, amid all the fun of time with friends and family, self-care sometimes sinks lower on the daily to-dos around this time of year. For busy leaders like yourself, it is essential to prioritize self-care during the holidays; doing so helps you experience all the festivities in and out of the office as your best self.

To carry you through the holiday season, here are some ways to help you prioritize self-care during this busy time of year:

Know (and Respect) Your Limits
The holidays often mean keeping up with a long list of errands, social obligations, and events. While it’s true that these sorts of activities can often be fun and invigorating, sometimes it becomes too much of a good thing. When holiday activity threatens to turn the corner from fun to exhausting, knowing when to step away can keep you from over-extending yourself. Pay attention to when your body and mind signal that you may be approaching your limit. Set boundaries around how much time, attention, and energy you will spend on holiday errands, gatherings, and events. Being intentional about the time and energy spent shopping, preparing, and socializing make each event more meaningful because you will be more present for them.

Set Reasonable Expectations
It’s perfectly natural to have high expectations of the holiday season; everywhere you turn, you’re showered with reminders that this is a time for family and abundance. However, checking in with yourself about managing your specific hopes and expectations is just as important. We don’t mean to be a bunch of Debbie Downers, but, especially around the holiday season, preparing to be flexible will give you the space to keep your self-care top of mind more often.

Avoid Known Triggers
For some, the holidays can be when painful reminders cause emotional distress or when gatherings threaten positive progress from earlier in the year to things like your physical health or your goal of mindful spending. A vital step in your self-care year-round is to identify your triggers. For example, if you find that grief or pain is provoked by specific activities or interactions around the holiday season, do your best to replace or sandwich them between emotionally fulfilling ones. By thinking ahead, you can even recruit helpful and trustworthy friends or family members to help keep you accountable and on track.

Hit the Gym
We get it—the holidays are probably the most challenging time of year to stick to healthy routines like regular exercise and healthy eating. But, taking care of your body during this time is vital; fitting in some time to be physically active will relieve some of your stress and discomfort. Some good news: your activity doesn’t need to be intense to provide benefits. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator or enjoying a walk around the block during lunch will significantly increase your physical stamina and emotional resilience.

Give Back
Helping others is an impactful way to bolster your self-care around the holidays. In addition to helping family and friends, volunteering even a little bit in your community provides a sense of purpose and meaning. Giving back doesn’t need to take up a lot of time or expense. Your community likely has many organizations needing help around the holiday season, especially food banks and shelters. You can also consider supporting deployed service members who will not get to see their loved ones over the holidays.

Speaking of Giving…
Don’t forget to appreciate yourself this holiday season! Somewhere amid all the activity of the season, schedule and protect your time to engage with your self-care practice. For example, you can commemorate the season during your self-care with small things like a new scented candle, a holiday-themed journal, or essential oil. When decorating your space, pick items that give you a sense of joy or peace.

The holiday season can be a stressful time. But, try to remember an undeniable fact—you can't pour from an empty cup. The entire team at Leadership Delta wishes you a peaceful and happy holiday season. We sincerely hope that you will take the time you need and deserve this holiday season to care for your own needs and emotions.