How a Day of Pampering Can Help You Avoid Holiday Burnout

For many, the holiday season is associated with thoughts of friends, family, parties, delicious food and wonderful surprises. Unfortunately, it is also often associated with less sleep, weight gain, little or no exercise, and feelings of stress, exhaustion, overwhelm and burnout. It’s really no wonder that this is the time of year when many individuals fall victim to all manner of illness–they are pushing themselves too hard and failing to balance intense holiday activities with relaxing activities. And while a day of pampering may seem incredibly self-indulgent, the fact is that it can actually help to protect the individual’s health and prevent holiday burnout.

What to Do on a Pamper Day

It is absolutely essential to your health and happiness that you take care of yourself, especially during the holiday season. A day of pampering inserted here and there throughout the holiday season can help you to come out the other side feeling happy, healthy and satisfied, rather than worn down, ill, and stressed. To receive the ultimate benefits from such a day, consider including the following:

• Plenty of sleep. Ignore the endless list of tasks that you feel you just have to get done and put yourself to bed early. Doctors widely recommend getting at least seven hours of sleep every night, and since the hours you get before midnight are more helpful than the ones you get after midnight, it is good to go to bed early. Whatever tasks you need to get done, they can wait until you’re well-rested. In fact, you may find they’re easier and faster to accomplish.
• Exercise. While exercise is often the first thing to go, it is one of the most important things to continue when things get hectic. Good exercise gets your heart pumping and your endorphins flowing, which can help you have a better, more productive day. It can also help you to be more aware of what you’re eating, and eat better.
• A pampering spa day. A trip to the spa can allow you to disconnect from your busy schedule and truly focus on self while receiving some much-needed spa services that can help to relax your body and your mind. Consider an invigorating facial, a stimulating massage, or soothing mani-pedi, or even all of the above. Leave the cell phone and laptop behind, bring along a friend or favorite book, and allow yourself to fully disconnect while you’re there. Whichever services you partake of, you are sure to walk away feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to jump back into holiday planning and activities.
• A date night. Whether you spend the night with a close friend, family member or significant other, a little time alone with someone you love can go a long way toward helping avoid a burnout.
• Personal time. Whether you enjoy time alone at the spa, having a cup of tea, going for a walk or even reading a good book while taking a bubble bath, personal time can help you reset your battery during the busy holiday season.
• Quiet time. If you take a moment to consider it, there is actually quite a lot of noise surrounding the holiday season between the music, busy streets, crowded shopping malls, full parties, and more. Take a moment to get away to a quiet, still location, breathe deeply, and relax in the quiet.

It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of the holiday season, but if you end up burnt out, you’re stripping away some of the pleasure that the season has to offer. Instead, take the time to pamper and take care of yourself so that you better enjoy the holidays all the way through.

Love,

Gen