Tip 1: Make Your Own Gifts
Consider making one item you can give to everyone — spiced nuts, herbed olive oil, canned produce from your garden, or homemade syrups and bitters (make your own syrups and bitters with these recipes).
Crafting your gifts is another DIY option. At first glance, this strategy may seem even more stressful, but the key is small-scale production that can be accomplished in a day or two.
(Try one of these DIY gifts that are beautiful, useful, and can be personalized for family and friends.)
Tip 2: Tackle To-Dos Together
Run your holiday errands or gift wrap with a friend. Tackling to-dos together can help you be more present versus just trying to check something off a list. It’s a great time to catch up, too!
Tip 3: Schedule Self-Care
Make time for self-care — bodywork, workouts, yoga, meditation, a few hours of quiet downtime with just your sofa and a good book. Showing up calm, happy and open-hearted for festivities (even if every last little thing didn’t get done) is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and others any time of the year. (Overcoming blockers to — and guilt around — self-care can be challenging, especially for women. But making time to care for yourself is vital for your health and well-being. To help you get a baseline for how you’re doing with your self-care now, see “The Need for Self-Care.”)
Tip 4: Fit in Fitness
Your usual workout regimen may need some adjustments during the bustling season. Try HIIT-style circuits you can tackle in five- or 10-minute increments during the day if longer windows aren’t open.
You can also try fitness stacking. You start with 10 minutes, then assess how you feel. If you’re done, that’s great! You can go on with your day knowing you did something positive for your body and mind. If you’re up for more, stack another 10 minutes of work on top. Try fitness stacking with this workout.
Tip 5: Embrace New Traditions
Novel locations and new routines can give longstanding traditions a much-needed shakeup and create delightful holiday moments. Consider switching things around this year. Go to your in-laws instead of hosting, or meet the extended family at a nice restaurant so no one has to cook or clean up.
(Does the idea of breaking from tradition leave you a bit uneasy? Explore these strategies for embracing change without losing the spirit of your traditions at “How to Create New Family and Holiday Traditions.”)
Trip 6: Prep in Advance
If you’re hosting a family gathering or party, make 75 percent of the meals and snacks a day or two before your party. You can also pre-chop ingredients to speed up cooking time.
(Try the curated recipes at “The Low-Stress Cocktail Party” to bring some ease to your next holiday gathering.)
Tip 7: Breathe
Breathe in, breathe out, and repeat.
The end of the year signals a time to appreciate the cycle we’ve just completed, and embrace with hope and optimism the new cycle that’s about to be revealed. Whenever you find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed this holiday season, take a few deep, centering breaths. Inhaling and exhaling with intention helps calm your sympathetic nervous system, allowing you the opportunity to consciously refocus on what truly matters to you.
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