Holiday PPE: Proactive, Prepared and Energized
The great thing about holiday season is that it’s predictable….it comes the same time every year and that means we can get prepared for it!
Here are some tips to help you to enjoy the holiday season:
Set priorities
Before you get overwhelmed by too many activities, it’s important to decide what traditions offer the most positive impact and eliminate superfluous activities. For example, if you usually become overwhelmed by a flurry of baking, caroling, shopping, sending cards, visiting relatives and other activities that leave you exhausted by January, you may want to examine your priorities, pick a few favorite activities and really enjoy them, while skipping the rest.
Use Shortcuts
If you can’t fathom the idea of skipping out on sending cards, baking, seeing people, and doing all of the stuff that usually runs you ragged, you may do better including all of these activities in your schedule, but on a smaller scale.
Send cards, for example, but only to those with whom you maintain regular communication. Or, don’t include a personal note or letter in each one. Find a way to simplify. The same goes for the baking—will anyone be enraged if you buy baked goods from the bakery instead? If you find ways to cut corners or tone down the activities that are important to you and your family, you may enjoy them much more.
Be Smart about Holiday Eating
There is so much temptation in the form of delicious food and decadent desserts, and a break from our regular routines—plus the addition of emotional stress—can all add up to overeating or emotional eating.
This year, plan ahead by being aware of your triggers, do what you can to have some healthy food at hand for each meal, be aware of your intake, and practice mindful eating. Hang on to those healthy habits including sleep and exercise routines.
Change Your Expectations for Togetherness
With family and friends, it’s important to be aware of your limitations. Think back to previous years and try to pinpoint how much togetherness you and your family can take before it becomes too much. Can you limit the number of parties you attend or throw or the time you spend at each? Can you limit your time with family to a smaller timeframe that will still feel special and joyous, without draining you? It is okay to set limits. The holidays don't have to be perfect or look exactly like they did when you were a child, or even like they did last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Be flexible with tradition and expectations.
Set aside differences and remember that sometimes loving someone means accepting them for exactly who they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time to work through them.
For those who experience loneliness during the holidays, consider inviting a group of friends to your home. If virtually everyone you know is with family during the holidays, you might consider volunteering to help those less fortunate than yourself. Many people report these experiences to be extremely fulfilling, and your focus will be on what you have rather than what you lack.
Acknowledge your Feelings
If someone close to you has recently died or you can’t be with loved ones, realize that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s important to express your feelings. Don’t force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
Set a Schedule
Putting your plans on paper can show you, in black and white, how realistic they are. If you find a time management planner and fill in the hours with your scheduled activities, being realistic and including driving time and downtime, you will be able to see if you’re trying to pack in too much. Start with your highest priorities, so you will be able to eliminate the less important activities. And be sure to schedule in some time to take a walk in nature each day if at all possible, as exercise and fresh air is a powerful antidote to stress.
Stick to a Budget
Be realistic about what you can afford, and set limits for yourself when grocery or gift shopping.
Breathe
This sounds like a no-brainer, but sometimes we forget to take deep breaths and really give our bodies the oxygen we need. It's great if you can take ten minutes by yourself to do a breathing meditation, but merely stopping to take a few deep, cleansing breaths can reduce your level of negative stress in a matter of minutes, too. If you visualize that you are breathing in serenity and breathing out stress, you will find the positive effects of this exercise to be even more pronounced.
Festive music can keep us connected and calm….
Here are some bright lights of festive music - from a Bach cantata to a Charles Dickens inspired collection and a stunning rendition of Elaine Hagenberg’s ‘Stillness’ by the Vancouver Youth Choir,
Concerts in Care (Our username is bcbrain and our password is bcbrain2022)
Bach - Cantata O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort BWV 60 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society
Music of Stillness | Vancouver Youth Choir
As you dawn your PPE to be Proactive, Prepared and Energized, try completing these sentences…
One thing I’d like to have happen this holiday season that probably WON’T is:
One thing I’m feeling today as the holidays are approaching is:
One friend or group I could get together with is:
One “tradition” I may need to give up is:
One positive family member I will spend time with is:
One stressful activity I can abandon is:
One “quiet time” activity I can enjoy is:
One special thing I will do for myself is:
One activity I will do to help me deal with loneliness or loss is:
This year I will remind myself of the importance of:
One way to keep my exercise routine and healthy eating habits during the holidays is:
And a word from Vancouver Coastal Health….
Winter can be a busy time of year, with an increase in people visiting emergency departments (ED) and other community health-care sites across VCH. To support the individuals in our communities make informed decisions about their health, we have created messaging for staff, medical staff and the public about how to stay safe this winter and how to access the appropriate health-care options that are available throughout the season.
You can learn more at the VCH webpage for Winter Care or on this postcard of where to go for the right health care.
References:
https://www.verywellmind.com/understanding-and-managing-holiday-stress-3145230
https://www.cigna.com/assets/docs/newsroom/834350-holiday-wellness-form2.pdf
https://www.mercycare.org/app/files/public/c17f01c1-1432-4812-9d12-679c13d20436/Managing-Holiday-Stress.pdf
