Five Ways to Avoid Burnout This Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and a sacred season for reconnecting with loved ones, downing tools at work and enjoying the celebrations. But when day-to-day life is so busy and hectic to start with, preparing for the holiday season can put us at risk of stress, anxiety and overall burnout. Here’s our five top tips to avoid holiday burnout and stay happy and healthy this festive season.

Sleep is so important to not just our energy levels but also our mood, mental health and physical wellbeing. But during the festive season it can often feel like the only way to squeeze everything into our busy schedule is to sacrifice sleep. This work hard play hard mentality will catch up eventually, depriving your body of the precious time it needs to rest and recuperate. If your social calendar is busier than New York city then be sure to prioritise sleep during the week, aiming for at least 7 hours of shut-eye each night – and remember, naps are your friend!

One of the biggest causes of stress during the festive season is a lack of organisation. As much as it would be lovely to sit back, relax and enjoy the holiday season, there’s no escaping the many things we must plan and prepare for. Whether it’s buying gifts, organising your social life or making sure the Christmas dinner goes smoothly, preparation is key! We recommend making a list of all the things you need to stay on top of, ticking them off as you go to clear your mind and avoid overwhelm.

As much as we all love to spoil our loved ones with gifts and attention, this is also a time of the year which we are meant to enjoy for ourselves. The festive season should involve some duvet days, movie marathons and long relaxing walks in the frost. Our third tip for avoiding burnout this holiday season is to make time for yourself and whatever you’d like to do that you don’t usually have the time for. One of the best ways to make sure this happens is to learn how to say no, you don’t have to accept every invitation this Christmas!

We can’t reiterate this enough! Shopping online is the best move you’ll make to avoid burnout this holiday season. We hear you; Christmas shouldn’t be all about gifts! But done well your Christmas shopping can be less about commercialisation and more about showing your nearest and dearest just how much they mean to you with a thoughtful present that will make their day. By shopping online, you can find quirky gifts and personalised presents as well as making sure that you’re supporting smaller businesses. What’s more, you can have all of your gifts delivered straight to your door and enjoy beating the crowds by shopping in the comfort of your own home!

It’s all to easy to use the festive season as an excuse to over-indulge and before you know it you’ve replaced water with mulled wine and are eating chocolates for breakfast! But by making sure your healthy lifestyle prevails in the winter months you can stay happy and healthy, as well as starting the New Year in the right mindset. Treating yourself is so important but make sure you give your body the respect it needs by keeping hydrated, not overdoing the booze and staying well-nourished between parties!

We hope you take on our seasonal suggestions to banish burnout and embrace the festive season with a healthy body and mind this winter. By being mindful of the pressures and stresses of Christmas you can be sure to keep on top of them and allow yourself time to enjoy and not just survive the festive season!