For many, the holidays are one of the busiest times, if not the<\/em> busiest time, of the year. And with so much to do (shopping, holiday parties, school events\u2026the list goes on), it can be hard to find a moment to catch your breath, let alone find time for self care.<\/p>\n But prioritizing self care during the holidays is a must if you want to start the New Year feeling happy and healthy. So the question is, in the midst of all the holiday busyness, how do you make self care a priority?<\/p>\n We\u2019ve said before that the truth about self-care is much broader than the bubble baths, facials, and #treatyoself mentality it has become synonymous with in recent years. \u201cSelf-care is the act of taking your time and energy and funneling it into an activity that focuses on your own mental and physical well-being,\u201d says Towson, Maryland-based licensed clinical professional counselor Shelby Milhoan.<\/p>\n And while investing your time and energy into your mental and physical well-being is always important, it\u2019s especially important during the holidays. Why? For starters, \u201cduring the holiday season we often focus on others\u2019 wants and needs\u2026[instead of] our own,\u201d says Milhoan.\u00a0<\/p>\n And when your focus is on what other people want and need for you (for example, shopping for gifts for your family or attending your friends and neighbors\u2019 holiday parties) and not on what you want and need for yourself, it\u2019s easy to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and burned out.\u00a0<\/p>\n That stress and overwhelm can impact not only how you feel, but how you act. \u201cIf self-care is not prioritized, the stress and tension will seep out, and often in ways we will not like,\u201d says Andrea Turnipseed, LCSW, co-founder and executive director of Roots Behavioral Health in Austin, TX. For example, this could mean lashing out at your loved ones.<\/p>\n Even if you love<\/em> the holidays, if you neglect self-care, by the time New Year\u2019s rolls around? You may feel a lot less \u201cholly jolly\u201d and more like The Grinch. \u201cThe holidays [have] become an added source of stress and overwhelm for many people,\u201d says Amanda Cassil, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and author of The Self-Care Plan for the Highly Sensitive Person<\/em>. \u201cEven good, joyful events can be stressful and wear on you, making the need for self-care more important during these windows.\u201d<\/p>\n Because you are a unique individual, your version of self-care is also going to be unique. For example, \u201can extrovert might find walking around a busy downtown area helpful\u2026while an introvert might need some time in nature or a good book,\u201d says Cassil.<\/p>\n So, the first step in prioritizing self-care this holiday season? Defining what self care means for you. Think of activities that would genuinely feel calming and restorative. For example, do you need to find more alone time in between holiday obligations\u2014or does spending time with your friends and family fill your cup?<\/p>\n One important thing to keep in mind is not to judge your preferred self-care activities based on what you think self-care is \u201csupposed\u201d to look like. \u201cKnowing what works for you and serves you in your relationships and your lifestyle is important,\u201d says Turnipseed. \u201cDon\u2019t take a bubble bath because a TikTok video said that\u2019s the best form of self-care. You need to find what works for you.\u201d<\/p>\n The holidays are notoriously busy. It seems like every unscheduled minute or unstructured stretch of time will be quickly occupied by another holiday event, obligation, or to-do item. So, once you\u2019ve determined what kind of self-care activities are going to be the most supportive for you? You need to put it on your calendar.<\/p>\n Putting self-care on your calendar, like you would any important appointment, will ensure that you leave space in your day for yourself\u2014and will prevent you from scheduling something else during the time you\u2019ve already scheduled for yourself.<\/p>\n \u201cI always encourage people to schedule self-care into their calendar because it\u2019s harder to bump something that has dedicated time,\u201d says Cassil. \u201cWhen you do this and someone tries to schedule something, you can politely decline, let them know, \u2018unfortunately, I have a commitment during that time,\u2019 and then decide if you want to try to find an alternate time or not.\u201d<\/p>\n If self-care is new to you, the thought of carving out time to take care of yourself every day\u2014especially during a hectic time like the holidays\u2014can feel overwhelming. But it doesn\u2019t have to be! Don\u2019t worry about trying to start a whole new habit. Instead, just add self-care to a habit you already <\/em>have.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPlan out your day and add self-care practices to things you already do,\u201d says Turnipseed. \u201cFor example, when you finish brushing your teeth, stop and do a short breathing exercise. Or, when you are sipping your morning coffee, you can practice mindfulness: pause, slow down, and, for 5 minutes, really experience the sensations around drinking that cup of coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n By building on habits you already have, you can get into the swing of regular self care. As it starts to feel more a part of your daily routine, you can expand your practice into more extensive self-care activities.<\/p>\n \u201cMany people overextend themselves at the expense of their own happiness during the holidays,\u201d says Turnipseed. But overextending yourself is the opposite of self-care. The best thing you can do to try and avoid that is to set some healthy boundaries\u2014and learn how to say \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoundaries help you love yourself and others without sacrificing your wellbeing,\u201d says Turnipseed. \u201cThis may mean saying \u2018no\u2019 to people and activities that do not serve your mental health, limiting the amount of time spent with family, limiting time spent on social media platforms, or scaling back the number of holiday events you attend.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, if the thought of turning down holiday invitations or opting to spend more time alone during this time brings up feelings of guilt, remember that you can\u2019t take care of anyone else if you\u2019re not taking care of yourself. And sometimes, saying \u201cyes\u201d to yourself and your own needs means saying \u201cno\u201d to other people\u2014and that\u2019s totally fine.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you feel guilty when you have to fill your car up with gas? No, because your car needs it and if you don\u2019t, then you will end up broken down on the side of the road,\u201d says Cassil. \u201cThe same is true for your body.\u201d<\/p>\n This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tDeanna deBara is a freelance writer based in Portland, OR. She covers a wide range of wellness topics, including fitness, nutrition, relationships, and mental health. Her work has appeared on Greatist, Men’s Health, Ravishly, The Fix, What’s Good by The Vitamin Shoppe, and more.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p><\/div>\nWhat is self-care, and why is it important to prioritize during the holidays?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Know what self-care means for YOU\u2026<\/h2>\n
\u2026and then put those activities on the calendar<\/h2>\n
Stack self-care onto another habit<\/h2>\n
Set boundaries and say \u201cno\u201d<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\tDeanna deBara\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
![\"ddebara\"](\"https:\/\/blog.fitbit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Deanna-deBara.jpg\")
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