Holiday Self-Care: How to Have a Peaceful Holiday Season

Holiday self-care is essential because it’s a busy time of year when you’re likely to experience more stress and less energy than usual, explains Braquelle Murphy, a licensed clinical professional counselor at Dazed Therapy. 

Below, we’ll share practical self-care tips to help you check in with yourself and find moments of calm, so you can feel good and have a joyful holiday season.

How to Make Time for Self-Care During the Holidays

Attiya Awadallah, a licensed creative arts therapist at Lenora: Art Therapy and Counseling, recommends the following tips for making time for self-care, even during a busy holiday season.

• Say “no” to some plans - With so much to do during the holidays, it’s crucial to set boundaries and say no sometimes. Be mindful of what you commit to and turn down commitments you don’t align with. This ensures you save time for self-care.
• Schedule in self-care - Block out specific times in your calendar, even if it’s only a few minutes here and there. For example, reserve a morning or evening time slot a few times weekly for one of your favorite activities.  
• Pair self-care with routine tasks - Adding a bit of enjoyment to your daily tasks can make them feel less stressful and maybe even more fun. For example, you might listen to your favorite music or podcast while cooking, doing laundry, or running errands.
• Delegate where possible - Ask loved ones for support with holiday tasks, like decorating, wrapping, or cooking. This allows you to free up time that you can dedicate to caring for yourself.

Practical Holiday Self-Care Activities (According to Mental Health Professionals)

There are many ways to take care of your well-being during the holidays, like taking winter walks, doing a holiday DIY project, setting boundaries, and prioritizing rest.

Create a “Dopamenu”

“A ‘dopamenu,’ or dopamine menu, is a quick list of activities that improve your mood by stimulating dopamine—a natural feel-good chemical in the brain associated with reward and pleasure,” explains Awadallah.

Dopamine is released when you engage in enjoyable activities. Even small boosts can improve your motivation and help alleviate stress.

Your dopamenu can include any activities you like, such as listening to a favorite song, making a delicious drink, or doing a simple breathing exercise. 

Awadallah suggests keeping your list handy so you can pull it out and choose an activity when you’re overwhelmed or stressed and need a quick pick-me-up.

Take a Winter Walk

When the holiday rush feels overwhelming, consider taking a walk, even if only for a few minutes. ”Fresh air offers a change of scenery and a simple way to recharge,” says Awadallah.

Whether you stroll through your neighborhood or explore a nearby park, spending time outdoors and noticing winter sights and sounds can help you clear your mind and reconnect with yourself. 

Try to take your walk without rushing to allow yourself to slow down and savor a refreshing pause.

Practice Gratitude

Gratitude reflections are a creative way to reflect on positive moments, which can be especially helpful if you’re struggling to enjoy the holiday season. 

Research even shows that regularly writing about gratitude leads to more optimism, fulfillment, and fewer health concerns.

Awadallah suggests journaling and drawing to practice gratitude. Write or doodle moments, people, or feelings you’re grateful for, such as a cozy blanket, your favorite warm drink, or a loved one.

Do a Holiday-Themed DIY Project

“Engaging in a creative activity like making your own holiday decorations or greeting cards can be both calming and satisfying,” says Awadallah. “Crafting actually activates the part of the brain associated with reward, which can help counteract holiday stress and create a sense of achievement.”

You can enjoy crafting alone for holiday self-care or turn this into a festive get-together with friends or family for a creative project together.

Honor Your Emotions

Awadallah reminds us that the holiday season can bring up complex feelings, whether it’s the pressures holidays can bring, grief over missing a loved one, or complicated family dynamics.

While it may be tempting to push through your emotions, allow yourself to acknowledge and sit with how you’re feeling without judgment. Awadallah suggests journaling about your experience, talking with a supportive friend, or taking time to reflect in a quiet space. 

“Honoring your feelings is an act of self-care that creates space for you to process and begin healing,” says Awadallah, which can help you move towards peace.

Take a Digital Detox

A digital detox involves limiting the use of digital devices like phones, computers, and TVs. This can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and prioritize self-care.

Taking time away from technology can also help reduce social comparison, which often occurs on social media, especially during the holiday season when people are traveling and exchanging gifts. Limiting social media usage and comparison can help improve self-esteem and alleviate loneliness, allowing you to enjoy the holiday season more.

Awadallah suggests dedicating a short period each day to being entirely offline, even if only for 15 minutes. Simple times to do this are during a meal, right before bed, or at any time you’re focused on another activity. It may help to turn technology off and/or leave it in another room.

Nourish Yourself

The rush of the holidays can lead to putting off proper nutrition and hydration. Murphy reminds us that nourishment is essential for a healthy mind and body.

Taking time to mindfully eat and drink water can help you regulate your mood, reduce stress, improve brain function, and get restful sleep. When you’re eating meals, try to set aside at least a few minutes to be present.

Engage Your Senses

One perk of the holiday season is activities that engage the senses, like sitting by a fire, baking, eating delicious food, and playing in the snow. Be sure to slow down and enjoy these. 

“Engaging your senses can help you be present,” explains Murphy. This allows for a more enjoyable and restful experience—ideal for self-care.”

Set Boundaries

“One of the best ways you can practice holiday self-care is by setting boundaries,” says Murphy. 

There are so many events and things to do during the holiday season, so knowing and sticking to your limit is essential. A boundary is a guideline that helps you honor what you need. For example, you might commit to one weekly holiday-related activity or task or have a daily self-care activity that you stick to.

Setting and sticking to boundaries can feel challenging. However, remember that they allow you to balance caring for yourself and participating in and enjoying holiday traditions. 

Prioritize Rest

It’s easy to feel like you’re always going during the holiday season, leading to less time for relaxation and a good night’s sleep.

Murphy emphasizes the importance of slowing down to rest, no matter how busy the holiday season gets. You can prioritize this by setting boundaries and not overscheduling yourself.

Take moments to rest throughout your day with activities like peaceful walks, warm baths, and meditation practices. At night, stick to a healthy sleep schedule with seven to nine hours of sleep.

How to Choose the Best Self-Care Activities

“Your holiday self-care activities shouldn’t feel like added pressure,” explains Awadallah. “Instead, it should feel restorative.”

Self-care looks different for everyone. Depending on what you’re experiencing in a given day or moment, you might crave calmness, movement, or creativity.

Awadallah suggests choosing activities that have previously felt good for you. You can ask yourself questions like:

• Does this activity bring joy or relaxation?
• How do I feel after I do this activity?
• Does this bring me closer to how I want to feel?

Holiday Self-Care: Conclusion

We hope you found this article helpful and look forward to caring for yourself this holiday season. Make the most of your holidays by practicing self-care regularly so that you can feel happy and healthy enough to enjoy the season!