5 Self-Care Tips for the Holidays

The holidays are near and we're excited!!! But - it's also been a BIG year and we're feeling a little burnt out. How about you?

For many reasons, the lead up to and the holiday season can be an enjoyable AND stressful time of year. This time of year moves so fast, with many deadlines to be met, family & financial pressures, and a busy social calendar! And for some it can be a challenging time of year to navigate family relationships, grief and trauma, financial hardships, work stresses and health issues.

It's important to manage your stress and care for yourself during the holidays, so we've put together a list of ways to care for yourself during the holiday season.

5 Self-Care Tips for the Holidays

1. Journal Your Feels

Did you know that journaling can reduce stress? Journaling about your feelings is linked to decreased mental distress. Expressing yourself through writing is a healthy way to explore, regulate and reflect on your feelings. Journaling during the holidays can also help you to process your feelings around family relationships, expectations and perfectionism and decompress from social outings and activities. It's also a lovely way to remember your holidays, how you were feeling and reflect and explore new habits and goals during your down-time.

Having trouble saying yes or no to all of the things? Journal about it!
Ask yourself: How does this make me feel? Is it essential that I do this task? How can I make this task more manageable or enjoyable?

Try journaling first thing in the morning to set intentions, practice gratitude and set a positive mindset to start the day. Try journaling before bed for a better nights sleep. Putting your thoughts onto paper is a great way to clear your mind before sleep and set intentions for the next day.

If you're not sure what to journal about, try one of our guided journals that are filled with prompts to help you with different outcomes.

Shop Journals here!
Shop Guided Journals here!

2. Practice Mindfulness

Colouring, puzzles & doodling are all mindfulness activities that can help to relieve stress and anxiety, improve motor skills and vision and improve sleep. Mindfulness is the ability to focus and stay in the moment, which helps you to put aside your worries, generate focus and be present in the moment.

The holidays are a fun time, but they can be overwhelming at times if your days are jam-packed with activities, socialising and family visits. Watching TV and scrolling your phone can sometimes be counter productive and overstimulating to your senses. Setting aside time to wind down with colouring, puzzles or doodling is a great way to decompress and reset your mindset.

Shop Puzzles here!
Shop Art & Drawing Books here!
Shop Colouring Books here!

3. Stay Organised

Use a planner to help you stay on top of your to-do list, schedule, appointments, gift shopping and holiday activities. A Happy Planner Dashboard Planner has a weekly schedule, as well as sections for planning a to-do list or shopping list, self care and priority tasks. Or try a Mossery Twin-Book with one half for scheduling and the other half for notes and to-do lists.

Don't forget to schedule in some time-out and self-care during the holidays. Scheduling in time for a walk, some journaling time before bed, or a catch-up with a friend can help you to remember to add self care into the hectic holiday festivities. By pre-planning rest and self-care, you'll get reminders in your planner to make caring for yourself a priority.

Shop Dated Planners here!
Shop Undated Planners here!

4. Get Some Rest!

It's finally the holidays and now you can do all of the things that you've been wanting to do! Reorganise and clean the house, fill up your social calendar, travel to a fun destination, visit your family, do all of the activities all day, every day! However, it's been a big year and we all deserve a little rest and recovery time. Use this time to get plenty of rest and sleep, so that you're refreshed and ready to start the new year.

Dive deep into a restful, relaxing holiday by improving your sleep with one of our MiGoals Sleep Journals or DreamyMoons Dream Journals, or make your own Dream Journal - don't forget stickers & decoration tape!

5. Practice Gratitude

The holidays can fly by so fast! Take a moment to acknowledge the importance of time with your family & friends and time off work. Take note of the moments you enjoy, the people you appreciate and things that make you feel good. You will appreciate every moment of your holidays even more! Practicing gratitude daily can also re-frame your mindset to focus more on what you're grateful for, with a more positive outlook on life.

Shop Gratitude Journals here!

Reach out if you need help:

If you feel that you need more support, there are many support services available. Speak to your doctor or psychologist, or reach out to one of the following support services.

Life Line: 13 11 14
Text on 0477 13 11 14 (12pm to midnight AEST) or chat online.

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636,
24 hours/7 days a week, chat online or email.

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Domestic Violence Support 24 hrs call or chat online.

Thanks for tuning in! We hope you have a wonderful holidays and get some time to rest and recharge. And if you're working during the holidays, these tips will also be helpful to you! Don't forget to schedule in a little self care each day and look after your mental well being.

How do you care for yourself during the holidays? What are your favourite ways to wind down? Share your tips with us in the comments.