How to take care of yourself during the holidays
A new survey found that men have more self-care than moms and as much as 9 hours per week. When you add in the pandemic things are even worse. Moms are burnt out, tired, anxious and/or depressed. So with the holidays around the corner, for some it can be a joyful time of celebration, family, and togetherness. For many, it may feel like the opposite. Particularly with COVID-19 and the ongoing pandemic, the holidays are looking a little different this year. Travel restrictions are keeping us away from family members. And even when they aren’t, not everyone is feeling safe or well enough to travel long distances. Many are spending their holidays at home for possibly the first time in years.
Whether you’re looking forward to an as-usual holiday this year, or having your time of celebration turned upside down, we can all benefit from self-care during the holidays. Winter days are shorter, meant for rest and rejuvenation. It might not always seem like that. American culture has created a hustle and bustle of the holidays, rushing around and shopping for gifts, attending dinner parties, hosting guests. When all of that goes away, or is at least minimized, we are left with some extra time. Time off work, off school, and sometimes a lighter workload. What can we do with this extra time? And if your holidays are extra busy, how do you make a point to step away and make that time for yourself? We’ve compiled 5 ways to get self-care during the holidays. Try one, try them all--but definitely try to take some time for yourself. After a year like 2020, you’ve earned it and as we mentioned dads are doing it — we should follow their lead.
1. Give yourself a gift
Not just any gift. Think of something strategic to put in your own stocking this year: like a gift certificate for a massage or a mani/pedi. Something that requires you to get out of the house. It’s hard sometimes to make time to do some of these things, but having the physical piece of paper with an expiration date on it can really be a motivator. You’ve bought it, now you’ve got to use it!
Find an afternoon to get away, kids-free, and relax. Take the long way to the salon. Drive a route that you haven’t gone before, or that you haven’t driven in a while. Listen to the radio or your favorite podcast along the way. Drive slow. Really milk it, you know? As a mom, that’s necessary sometimes!
Make a point to let the experience last as long as possible. If you’re getting a pedicure, stay off your phone. When we get sucked into our screens, time can fly by. Close your eyes and really enjoy the experience. Use the massage chair, have a complimentary beverage, and be there 100%. After all, your time is limited. If this is going to be your big way of getting self-care during the holidays, you will want to enjoy every single minute of it!
2. Take a day
Like, a whole day (if possible). If you have family nearby who can watch the kids, that’s awesome! Call on your “village” for a day and clear your schedule. Take one entire day and do whatever you want to do. Hey, that might even mean you just sit on the couch and watch television, thinking about how weirdly quiet the house is. But you know what? It’s so nice to have that weird feeling sometimes. It might even help you appreciate the noise and bustle of the kiddos even that much more!
If you can’t get the kids out of the house, then arrange with your spouse to make an escape plan. Not the both of you, but just you. Perhaps trade days and let your partner have a day for themselves, as well. I want you to close your eyes right now and think: where would you go? If you had an entire day to escape? Would you go to the movie theatre and watch a new release by yourself in the back row? Walk around the mall and do some shopping for yourself? Grab a cup of coffee in the Starbucks inside of Target, and walk around looking at housewares you don’t need? What does your escape look like? This could be a great way to find some self-care during the holidays. Make a plan, and do it! You need it, mama!
3. Cook a special meal
So maybe you can’t get out, but there are ways to get self-care during the holidays without leaving your house. Especially if you’re not able to have your usual family gatherings this year, you might be missing out on some culinary traditions. So, cook them yourself! Think of a nice, warm, wintry comfort meal that makes you feel taken care of. Is it a nice stew in a crockpot? A hearty sweet potato casserole? Warm noodles?
Treat yourself to your absolute favorite meal as a way to get some self-care during the holidays. Throw in some flannel pajama pants or your favorite stretchy leggings, some fuzzy socks and slippers, and you can have the perfect “me” night. Are you breastfeeding? Heat up some water and enjoy some of CODDLE’s Mother’s Milk tea. Your mind, body, and soul will thank you!
If you’re burnt out on cooking for one reason or another, have no fear. Maybe you’re one who typically cooks family meals daily or several times a week. Or maybe you did host family over and spent hours cooking holiday meals already. Whatever the reason, if you don’t feel like cooking, or that’s simply not your idea of self-care, then let’s mix it up. Order in or get take-out from your favorite local spot. It’s December of 2020, so we’re no strangers to apps like GrubHub and UberEats. These might have played a big role in your pandemic survival, too! Utilize these apps to order your favorite meal to your home instead of cooking something. If that’s what self-care looks and feels like to you, then do it! It can be very relaxing to take a break from cooking dinner and feel like you can sit and relax once the sun goes down. Well, at least as much as possible.
Chances are, your kids won’t mind having a special occasion takeout treat, too! Plus, many local businesses took a hit this past year. Ordering food or getting takeout from a local restaurant is a good way to show love to a small business. Remember, when you shop local or shop small, the owners do a happy dance! Make someone else’s holiday a little sweeter by supporting them while you practice self-care during the holidays. It’s a win-win!
4. Ditch the device
It might be easy during the holidays to get sucked in to our phones. While it may feel like a “break” from reality, getting lost in our screens actually keeps our brains working overtime. This is the opposite of a break. So if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it might be a good idea to take a screen break.
Rest your eyes on a book, or go for a walk at a local park. Heck, even just sitting on your porch or in your backyard can be a nice change of pace! Social media can be such a noisy and crowded place, even if it doesn’t feel like it. You might be surprised at how much your anxiety decreases after a nice break. You might not even have realized that you had anxiety! Taking a phone, social media, or screen break altogether can be a great way to practice self-care during the holidays. Give your mind some peace and quiet!
5. Grab a pen and paper
When was the last time you wrote in a journal or a diary? It may have been awhile! As we close what has been an unprecedented year, you might have a lot to reflect on. Additionally, 2020 is going to go down in the history books - so why not write your account of it? Your children and grandchildren one day might love to hear your first-hand account of how the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic impacted your life personally. Tell your story!
Journaling can go hand-in-hand with the screen or phone break from the #4 item on our self-care list. If you’re taking a break from your phone, trade it in for a pen and a paper and spend some time with your thoughts. Has it been a tragic year for you? Stressful? Did 2020 impact your job or family life? How did it change the way you feel about health? About leaving the house? About parties and gatherings? How will it change how you approach life in 2021 and beyond?
Leaving a written record can be healing, and help you process the events that have happened. This is true for this pandemic, as well as other events in your life. Journaling can be a great tool and a great way to practice self-care during the holidays.
We’ve named 5 of our favorite ways to practice self-care during the holidays, but there are probably so many more ways. Everyone is unique and finds comfort and joy in different ways. What’s another way that you practice self-care? Let us know in the comments!