With just over a week to go until Christmas and Hanukkah, you may be starting to feel your stress level rise. Do yourself a favour! Pause, take a deep breath, and make a conscious choice to prioritize your wellbeing this holiday season. Setting aside time for you is an investment that will pay great dividends by reducing your stress and helping you be more present.

Stress and the Holidays

Stress and the holidays go hand in hand. The Canadian Mental Health Association reports 52% of Canadians experience feelings of anxiety, depression, or isolation during the holiday season. And a 2023 survey by the American Heart Association reported 79% of respondents neglect their own needs during the holiday season, and 63% claim the holiday season is more stressful than tax season. That’s serious!

There’s an old saying that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Yet that’s what so many of us try to do this time of year. Even worse, the aftereffects of holiday stress linger well into the new year. That American Heart Association survey found over half of respondents said it takes weeks to feel less stressed after the holidays.

3 Steps to Prioritize Your Wellbeing This Holiday Season

Give yourself a holiday gift. Decide right now that you’ll prioritize your wellbeing over the next couple of weeks. Here’s how to make it happen.

Schedule Time in Your Calendar

Your calendar is likely full of holiday parties, family gatherings, church services, and year-end work deadlines. Take time right now and schedule 15 to 30 minutes a day into your calendar to do something for you. If you think you don’t have time, consider that 15 to 30 minutes is less than 2% of the 1,440 minutes you have available in the day.

Pick an Activity You Enjoy

Next, treat that calendar entry as sacred. Avoid the temptation to ignore the reminder when it pops up. You’ll have a better chance of success if you pick a time when you’re more likely to follow through. For some, that might be first thing in the morning. For others, it might be over lunch hour or right before bed.

If you need ideas on how to spend those 15 to 30 minutes, here are some to get you started:

• Try meditation.
• Practise deep breathing exercises.
• Read a book.
• Curl up under a cozy blanket and watch a holiday TV show or movie.
• Warm your slippers on the radiator and savour the warmth.
• Get outside and breathe some fresh air.
• Watch the snow fall.
• Sit in the dark and watch the lights on the Christmas tree.
• Sing along to your favourite playlist.
• Dance to your favourite holiday music.
• Squeeze in a holiday-themed workout.
  (Check out my YouTube Christmas Workouts playlist for ideas).
• Indulge in a sweet treat, like a steaming mug of hot chocolate, or a cup of tea and some shortbread.
• Take a bubble bath.
• Make a list of simple things that bring you joy.

Repeat Tomorrow…and the Next Day…and the Day After That

After you take your first mini self-care break, you’ll see how great it feels. The busier life gets over the next few weeks, the more you need to do this. You may just turn this into a healthy habit that you can carry into the new year.

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How do you mange stress and prioritize your wellbeing this time of year? Drop me a comment below with your thoughts.

Learn more about me in my bio and on my personal blog at BoomerEcoCrusader.com. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.