5 Post Holiday Recovery Tips
Having a Holiday Hangover?
How to bounce back from your holiday hangover
As the holiday season comes to a close, I am hopeful you all stepped into the joy and gratitude that comes with celebrating. The holidays also bring an increased sense of overall well-being and resiliency. However, now we have spent a month or more focused on getting ready for the holiday, singing the songs, telling the stories, caring for family, traveling, and upholding the traditions we can then experience a feeling of letdown, exhaustion, and regret once they are over. So, this week I want to focus on how to recover and what steps you can take to keep your well-being and resiliency moving into the new year. Here are a few tips on what Janae, Tina, Tori, and myself, do and recommend for recovery.
1. Get back on schedule. I know for me the schedule definitely suffers during the season as I try to finish up last-minute projects and get ready for the family. The biggest price I pay is my sleep. I have burned the candle at both ends since the end of October and need to get back on track with bedtimes. As the holiday season ends, I focus on recreating a healthy schedule which includes mealtimes, bedtimes, healthy activities, and time for reconnection with my partner. Tori focuses on resting and taking time to reset after the holiday season. Her advice is to think about how much more you can accomplish when you are rested and fully recharged. Routines are especially important for those with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD as being on a schedule keeps things balanced. If jumping right back into schedules feels like too much of a strain, start with little goals and move things by a few minutes at a time until you have reset your schedule.
2. Get back on track with a healthy lifestyle. In the event, you have sacrificed your diet, exercise, and self-care now is the time to reset and restart what works. Janae identified this as an essential part of getting back from the holiday travel and changes which occur around family engagements. Janae finds adding back in the hobbies she uses for self-care is part of the holiday reset. Restarting your self-care routine is very important, especially if you have let this slip to care for others during the season. My healthy diet suffers during the holiday season. I focus on wanting to feel better in my body, without shame, just a refocus. I want to feel better, and I know how to fuel my body so it feels energized which is something I need!
3. One big part of getting back from the holiday for me is to reset my personal space. I enjoy taking down holiday decorations and redecorating my home. This allows time to clean the space and start the year with cleanliness and order. I find this also helps to clear my mind and gives me space to set new goals. Janae also reported cleaning up from the holiday and refocusing on her home is a good way to come into the new year. Tina has also jumped into working on projects within her home to bring calm and control to her space.
4. Taking time to reflect on financial matters is also an essential part of coming back from the New Year. Often budgets suffer, even if we have the best intentions, and we need to reexamine the budget, open the mail, and set financial goals for the coming year. I know this can be a difficult one and can be a real letdown after the holiday season. However, good financial health is essential to our mental and social health.
5. Janae reminds us of the importance of reflecting on the holiday season by taking stock. She said, “I like to take time to reflect on all the good memories I made over the holidays. I like reminding myself how much I am loved and really all the get-togethers mean there are lots of people who love me and my partner. This switch in perspective helps me to remember the real reason why we travel, buy gifts, and put a lot of time and effort into this season. This has been highlighted for me especially this year because of the loss of a family member a few weeks ago. You never know what might be your last Christmas together, your last family meal, or your last time to hear new and old family stories. Reflecting on the good times helps me remember the positive parts of the holiday and carry these warm feelings into the new year”.
The four of us encourage all of you to please share what works for you in rejuvenating after the holiday season. We know many of you have great ideas and would love to hear them.