The Festive Season Is Here: Don’t Forget Your Self-Care!

Ahhh Christmas. It’s always such a fun time of year, unless of course you’re a grinch. But if you are a grinch, well, you probably won’t be reading this anyway. This post is for those of you who love Christmas, and even better, who love all the social events that Christmas brings. But with those social events comes exhaustion – flat... out... exhaustion.

It seems like there’s just not enough hours in the weeks leading up for Christmas. From adult parties to kid’s parties, and everything in between. So, it’s time you took better care of yourself. After all, if you’re feeling burnt out, how are you going to enjoy all that delicious food come Christmas Day? Here are our top tips for self-care so you can minimise the pressure of the festive season and still have fun!

Don’t be afraid to say no.

It’s okay to say no, even at Christmas. If you’ve double booked yourself, or you’re really just starting to feel the effects of endless parties, don’t put the pressure on yourself to perform. You’re not a monkey. Just say no. No one will hold it against if you if you refuse to attend another party with the same people. And if you’ve double booked, just choose one even to attend rather than putting the pressure on yourself to race around to both.

Take time to yourself.

Allocate an hour every day, if you can, where you can do something that’s just for you. Whether it’s taking off to the gym, walking on the beach, or giving the kitchen a good scrub down while listening to Bon Jovi on full blast – an hour of respite to yourself will do wonders for your mental health and exhaustion levels.

Eat well and stay hydrated.

If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed at Christmas, it’s that most of us tend to eat too much junk and drink too much booze. And that’s fine. But make sure you also keep up the good stuff! Make sure you include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables into your party routine. Eat plenty of foods that contain vitamins and minerals, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein. And don’t forget to drink water. This will not only keep you hydrated, it will also give you more energy. You should be having at least 2-4 litres a day.

Ask for (or accept) help.

Most of us are guilty of this – we’re super mums or dads and we can do it all ourselves. We don’t need anyone’s help! ... except ... right now that’d be really handy. So, if someone offers to help you with anything, say yes. Now’s the time to put your pride aside, let go of your OCD tendencies to have everything done the way you want it, and let other people help you. Whether that’s giving the kids some cleaning supplies so they can help you around the house or saying yes when your overbearing mother-in-law tries to take over the cooking on Christmas eve. Stop trying to do it all yourself.

The most important thing at Christmas is that you have fun, while also coming out on the other side of Christmas with your sanity in check. With these tips above, you can have a fun Christmas season, and take care of yourself – it’s a win-win.