The festive season is, for many of us, one of the few times of the year that we can actually take time off and relax. Finally, almost everyone else is also off work so you aren’t getting any calls despite being on leave. However, despite this being perhaps the best time to relax, many of us struggle to actually do so. There’s so much to do over the festive period. Before you know it, you’re fast-forwarding into the New Year and there hasn’t been a moment you’ve taken for yourself. Here are some ideas for taking some time right now.
Try doing ‘nothing’
This might sound crazy and bizarrely obvious but many of us don’t do it. Many of us end up spending the entire holiday season rushing around endlessly. This is supposed to be a time for relaxation but many of us are even more tired by the end of the holiday season than we were when we finished work. Of course, you’ll still need to achieve any non-negotiable tasks such as looking after children or taking care of injuries. Any other tasks can be simply moved to another day. Accept that you don’t have to do everything in one day. If you need a rest, take it and just reorganize your tasks for a future date.
This doesn’t mean that you simply sit and stare at a wall all day. Doing nothing is more about not doing anything at all but rather about focusing on slowing down. You could opt for anything from meditation to taking a relaxing walk. Reading a book or even indulging in cheesy films or well-loved series are also perfectly valid ways to take time out. You could also opt to get some takeout instead of cooking and really just take time to be.
Prioritize your health during the holidays
The holiday season can be a real problem when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It’s a time that often means overeating and avoiding gyms or normal workouts. As a result, weight gain can also be a problem at this time of year. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have some fun and indulge in treats. The idea is to have a healthy balance between holiday foods and healthier options. This can include really simple activities like taking a regular walk and even taking care to drink enough water. Learn about the benefits of purified drinking water from Waterdrop. Taking time in nature, walking the dog, and walking instead of driving where possible are all good options. Meal preparation, taking a multivitamin, and trying healthier variations of holiday foods can also be a huge help.
Take time to listen to music
Could listening to music help to up your levels of happiness? If it can, how on earth does it do it? We’ve all had those moments where a certain song comes on and it seems to just flip a switch in your brain. You can go from neutral, sad, or stressed to happy in what seems like a split second. This effect of music is also hugely beneficial for those who struggle with mental health issues. The reason behind this, as with everything to do with the human brain is slightly complicated. However, it seems that certain music releases dopamine which is more commonly known as the love hormone.
Dopamine is linked with feelings of contentment and happiness and some studies have shown that it can even lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone).
Essentially, the way it works is that music activates multiple regions of the brain simultaneously. Some of the regions which are activated are those which are associated with memory and emotion. Because of its direct relation to memory, it can spark neural pathways and is thus great for positive association.
Take time to be grateful during the festive season
Gratitude is not just good for your mental health but for your overall well-being. It is also scientifically proven to make you more resilient, positive, and mindful. Making a large-scale list of all of the things that you are grateful for is hugely beneficial. For example, you might make a list of 100 blessings. When taking the time to practice gratitude, it’s important to remember that things don’t have to be immense for you to count them.
You can be grateful for something as small as your daily cup of coffee. That doesn’t mean that you should exclude big things like buying a house or car. Making a gratitude list is supposed to reinforce all of the great things that simply pass you by in life. We tend to take so much of our lives for granted. Taking the time, at the end of the year, can really change the way you think about the past year dramatically.
Take some time away from social media over the festive season
If you’re really looking to reduce your stress and feel calmer, taking a break from social media and the constant news cycle is the way to go. Try staying away from social media or even better, away from your phone for a day. It might not be possible to completely unplug but if you can, you should. Spending all that time surfing the web or scrolling through social media means less time for you. When you stop and pull away from the hustle and bustle of daily tech and news, you’re more likely to have time to yourself.
Instead of scrolling or surfing, you can dedicate that time to other things. For example, you can opt for some meditation, listening to music, or even spending time with the family. Even if you just opt to take a bath and watch some TV, breaking the nonstop news and social cycle is bound to help you to relax during the festive season.
Main photo credit
Photo by Yuriy Bogdanov on Unsplash
References
https://healthyhappyimpactful.com/12-days-christmas-self-care/
https://jedfoundation.org/resource/self-care-for-the-holidays/
https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/articles/the-powerful-effect-of-music-on-the-brain.html
https://accidentalcreative.com/articles/mindset-articles/the-gift-of-gratitude/
