Christmas time is wonderful for catching up with friends and family, work parties and time at home with our loved ones. It can however be very stressful! Entertaining guests, cleaning the house, shopping, wrapping, cooking…the list seems endless.
But, there are ways you can take a little step back, 5 minutes to breathe and keep calm during a crazy Christmas!
Talk a walk
Wrap up warm and head out for some fresh air. You don’t need to go scaling any mountains but just 5 minutes of walking with raise your endorphin levels and help to clear your head.
Give yourself a break
Try not to get too stressed out if you forget the stuffing or burn the parsnips! Have a laugh about any little mishaps and allow yourself a break. We’re all human after all and Christmas hiccups make for great stories for years to come.
Ask for help
Are you usually the one who cooks, cleans, shops, wraps…the list is endless and can be very stressful trying to do all by yourself. Ask for a helping hand from other people in the home, be that your partner, older kids or even your guests! Don’t be afraid to chuck a tea towel in your father-in-law’s direction and share all the jobs out on the day. After all, it’s your Christmas day too!
Get 5 minuets of peace and quiet.
Okay, easier said than done, especially on Christmas day itself. But do check-in with yourself and take a break where you can. Pick up a book, listen to some relaxing music or your favourite Podcast and switch off for 5 minutes when you can.
Meditate
Do you enjoy meditation or even just listening to some calming music? Grab your headphones and take yourself off to a quite room (if you can find one!) and have some ‘me time’ over the Christmas break.
Get plenty of sleep
Late nights wrapping presents once the kids are in bed, work nights out and family get togethers all add up and you may find you’re sleeping a lot less than you would do normally. Be aware of how many hours you’re getting and try and break up the busy evenings, with quite ones at home with just your family.
Breathe
Have you tried breathing exercises? These are a really affective way of keeping anxiety at bay and helping take the stress down a notch or two when you feel this starting to build. Just 10 slow breaths in and out, can help take the edge off a stressful situation and keep you level-headed.
Enjoy!
Christmas holidays should be about fun times and relaxing but often we can lose our heads in the pressure of Christmas ads, endless shopping and having the perfect ‘Hallmark’ Christmas to splash all over social media. Try to keep in mind that as long as you and you’re loved ones are having the best possible Christmas you can, everything else is just presents and tinsel!
Have a wonderful, calm Christmas.