5 Ways to Find Calm During The Holidays

It’s the most stressful, opps I mean wonderful time of the year. We all have a ton of Holiday parties, gifts to buy and give, new years goals to set, and we have to do these things while fighting off seasonal affective disorder. There are all of these stressful things happening while Flu season is in full swing. It’s a tough time of the year and so it’s important to take care of yourself and maintain your sanity! Here are five things you can do to help keep yourself happy and healthy this holiday season:

1. Treat Yo’Self

We advocate for this year round, but during the Holidays it’s especially necessary. While you’re out buying gifts for other people, grab a little something for yourself, too! It doesn’t have to be a grand expenditure, but a little something can be a mood booster and make shopping a little more fun.

2. Make time for friends over coffee

While we’re all out busy shopping and going to work-related Holiday parties, it can be easy to let your friendships fall to the wayside. Make a coffee date with a friend so you can catch up and commiserate over the stress of the Holidays. Taking time for a friend will help your mental health, plus we all could use that extra cup of coffee this time of year.

3. Unplug

Right now we’re getting bombarded with even more information about sales, promotions, events, the newest latest hottest gifts and it can become overwhelming and time consuming. Take some time in the day to completely unplug. It can be just for 5 or 10 minutes while you’re on the train or bus, 15 minutes during your lunch break, or when you get home from work. Put your phone on airplane mode and relax. Let your mind wander, don’t make mental notes of things you need to do—just be present.

4. Hydrate

December is not a good month for physical health. Those sugar cookies aren’t going to eat themselves, right? Now as an avid donut lover, I’m not going to tell you to stop eating those treats, but make sure you’re drinking your 8 cups of water daily. It’s also colder out and so your skin could use the extra hydration, remember to moisturize and keep your skin happy.

5. Make a donation

Take some time to appreciate all that you have. If you’re reading this you have internet access which basically means you have all and any information you want all the time. Go through your closet and find somethings your can donate or make a cash donation to a nonprofit. By helping others you’ll find you have a ton to be grateful for and you’ll feel good knowing you did a good thing for someone else.