Avoid Burnout This Holiday Season
It’s that time of the year again–holiday season–and our plates are FULL. Between the shopping, partying, hosting, drinking, eating, traveling and family get-togethers (on top of everything we were already doing), it’s easier than ever to overcommit, over-schedule, over-consume and end up in a state of burnout.
By the time the new year comes around, most of us are exhausted, sick, bloated and eagerly anticipating a new year to motivate and inspire healthy habits.
But why do have to wait until we hit a state of desperation to start taking care of ourselves??
Self-care is a daily job that requires energy, attention and scheduling. Self-care practices, such as eating healthy and exercising, are a sign of self-love and self-respect. They help us decompress, manage stress and restore our energy. And, the more we do them, the better we will feel, look and function.
A primary focus at Taylored Health is helping busy people (like yourself) prioritize self-care. Whether you have 5 minutes or 3 hours, and whether it’s the holidays or a random Tuesday in the summer, there are always opportunities to make healthy choices. Now, these choices aren’t always easy, or convenient, or what everyone else is doing but just remember, small things (when done consistently) lead to big (and more importantly) lasting change.
Here are a few of my top tips to avoid burnout, anxiety and overwhelm this holiday season:
Focus on blood sugar balance - start your morning off with a high-protein breakfast and eat regular, consistent and balanced meals throughout the day. This will help balance your energy and mood; support your adrenals; prevent late-night sugar cravings and binge eating; alleviate anxiety; and encourage deep, restful sleep at night.
Write down 3-5 things you’re grateful for in the morning - your mental health is negatively impacted by stress, sleeplessness, worry and overwhelm. Gratitude will quickly negate that, forcing positivity and light into the rest of your day (especially when done first thing in the morning). Pro Tip: bring gratitude to at least one struggle point (i.e. if you’re struggling with weight, can you bring gratitude to your strong and resilient body?).
Say “no” more - listen, there are obligations (where we don’t have choice) and social invites (where we do have choice). Learn the difference, listen to your gut and when it’s a “no”, get comfortable sticking up for yourself and declining.
Take a few deep breaths - when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, I recommend doing 3 rounds of 4-7-8 breathwork. This will take less than a minute and it’s one of the fastest ways to calm your nervous system.
Add a pinch of Himalayan pink salt to your morning glass of water - drinking water is great (and highly recommended), but if you’re not adding minerals TO the water, you won’t fully hydrate. Pink salt provides 84 different minerals that facilitate deep cellular hydration while supporting the adrenal glands and kidneys.
Incorporate daily movement - exercise increases your breathing and heart rate, gets your blood pumping faster and harder, and rapidly delivers oxygen and nutrients to your brain and body. It’s a natural energizer, mood booster and stress management tool that most of us could stand to do more of. Important Note: this doesn’t have to be a calorie scorcher to count–go for a walk, do yoga, stretch, dance, run around after your dog or kids (all of these things count for movement!).
Show up with a healthy dish - the holidays are overindulgent. We know it, we expect it, and the more we can accept it, and do our best to support the things surrounding it, the better off we’ll be come January 1st. So, when you get invited to a meal-focused social gathering, I recommend showing up with a dish you will feel good about eating. That way, no matter what is served, you’ll be able to nourish yourself at the same time.
Air out your home on a regular basis - in the colder months (especially here in the Midwest), we tend to spend more time indoors with the windows shut and heat cranking. I recommend cracking a window as often as possible to let fresh air in and germs/toxins out.
Give gifts that are thoughtful and meaningful - watching someone open a gift that you know they’ll love is priceless. Giving a gift just to give a gift is stressful. Ask people what they want, start shopping early and take yourself out of the equation to make for a low-stress gift giving experience. And when in doubt, give the gift of wellness (i.e. a massage, nutrition coaching session, mani/pedi)–you can’t go wrong with any of these!
I encourage you to find one or two of the above that you can start incorporating right away (and please don’t underestimate the power of #1). Then build from there.
This is not a race. There is no score, gold metal or prize. And, to be honest, most people who are going all-in on indulgence over the holidays will want you to be right by their side, indulging with them. So when you show up with the brussels sprouts dish and opt for water instead of vodka, you might get pushback. And that’s ok. You don’t need approval or encouragement. You don’t need a pat on the back. The reward is how you feel–more energized, more balanced, less anxious and less bloated–especially when you get to January 1st.
Sending you and your family love this holiday season! I will be on maternity leave through the end of the year, but if you are interested in nutrition coaching for 2024, click here to book a free Discovery Call.