How to Survive the Holidays and not Burnout
It’s common to feel anxious and overwhelmed this time of year – the aptly named ‘silly season’.
The expectations to attend office parties, family gatherings and Christmas drinks while holding down a busy job and family responsibilities – not to mention Christmas shopping – can become all too much.
Continuing like this can often lead to exhaustion and burnout and your mental and physical health can really take a hit. It can take weeks to recover and your plans of starting the new year full of energy and good intentions to achieve your goals are delayed – or forgotten about altogether.
Here’s 3 ways for you to support yourself through the ‘silly season’ and have more energy to start the year the way you want to...
#1 Set Boundaries
Consider your answer carefully when committing to another event or task. Take a minute to check in with yourself and ask these questions:
Does saying yes to this make me feel anxious? If yes, can I say no?
If I can’t say no, is there a way I can commit to part of it and not give all my time?
If I do this, how will it make me feel? Will it benefit me or make me feel more stressed?
Is there anything else I can cancel or change to fit this in more easily?
One more tip – take a moment to check your diary for the coming weeks. Is there anything you can move or cancel? Think about how much you have committed to each week and how you’re feel by Christmas Day! Do you have to do everything you’ve committed to between now and the end of the year? What could you change?
#2 Take Time Out to Recharge
Even the biggest extroverts and social animals need time to themselves. If you don’t have any ‘me time’ to recharge through the next few weeks you could end up running on empty by the time you reach January.
The smallest of breaks can make a big difference. Whilst being mindful of boundaries also consider when or where you could have some time for yourself to do something FOR YOU.
Could you make an excuse? A pretend trip to the supermarket to get extras while you really enjoy 30 minutes in a coffee shop with a good book? A little white lie never hurt anyone ;-)
Schedule in self-care where you can. This time of year can suck the energy right out of you and even the smallest of things can make a difference. Meditate, read, stretch, drink water, journal - anything you do will help support you and sustain your energy.
#3 Learn Tools to Manage Stress
There are many tools and strategies I teach people to manage stress and overwhelm – too many to mention here – but here are two that can try over the coming weeks.
Coping Statements for Stress and Overwhelm
When we’re stressed our thoughts can be our own worst enemy. Negative thinking can spiral and we can quickly make ourselves feel considerably worse. Try these coping statements when you feel your negative self talk is taking over:
This is just a thought. A thought is not a fact.
This is just a feeling. This feeling will pass.
I’ve done this before so I can do it again.
I’ll be glad I did it when this is over.
I’ll just do the best I can.
Whatever happens, happens. I can handle it.
It’s not the worst thing that could happen.
Step by step until it’s over.
I don’t need to eliminate stress, just keep it under control.
Take a breath.
7/11 Breathing
Did you know that the quickest way calm down is to focus on the breath?
Here's an easy and very effective tool to use to relieve anxiety and bring you back to the present
1 - breathe in for a count of 7
2 - then breathe out for a count of 11
Make sure that when you are breathing in, you are doing deep ‘diaphragmatic breathing’ (your diaphragm moves down and pushes your stomach out as you take in a breath) rather than shallower higher lung breathing.
Continue in this way for 5 minutes or longer if you have time – and enjoy the calming effect it will have on your mind and body. An added bonus of 7-11 breathing is that the very act of counting to 7 or 11 is a distraction technique, taking your mind off your immediate worries.