The holiday season is one of the most magical times of the year—but it’s also often the most exhausting. With never-ending to-do lists for holiday meals, shopping, end of school events, and special activities, the busyness of the season easily sucks us in. But … do we really want to be that busy?
The holiday season is a unique time in the year—everyone expects things to be a little bit different. You get to control the atmosphere in your own home, and no one can tell you what that should look like for your family. Use your intuition! There will be years when going to special events every night might be the best way to spend your time, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted before the season even begins, chances are, you need some rest. Magical winter wonderland events just aren’t as wonderful when you’re running on empty.
We live in a world where everything is available at our fingertips, in an instant. This means we are often operating on information overload! The holiday season might be a great time to establish some new habits and boundaries to set you and your family up for success in the new year. Challenge yourself to really find time to do absolutely nothing and recharge. Your body and your brain will both thank you!
The human brain needs rest in order to function properly. Read that again: the brain needs rest! When we are constantly managing streams of incoming information and conversations, as well as balancing deadlines and commitments, our brains get tired. Well-rested brains can be more productive and creative, stay motivated and focused, and be better at keeping up with daily habits.
Here’s some good news: Doing nothing doesn’t have to mean just sitting at home, staring at each other. Once you have found a time that your family has no responsibilities, you can create a list of ideas for how you might spend those hours. Have you always wanted to make a gingerbread house with the kids but never seem to get around to it? What about that list of holiday movies you watched in January last year after the busyness of the season died down—wouldn’t that be better as a holiday tradition during the holidays? Try having a recurring family game night, making an easy craft or just driving around to look at holiday lights. These are all things that are impossible to fit in when you have a jam-packed family calendar.
This all sounds great, right? But what if you’re struggling to know how to carve out time for rest and relaxation during this busy season? We’ve put together some ideas to help you create a purposeful pause in the chaos.
Schedule nothing time in your calendar. That’s right—take a look at the upcoming week or month and identify a time when no one in the family has a commitment, then lock that time in and don’t schedule anything else! Write it on your calendar as “Family Time” or as a “Do Nothing Day.” It might seem odd to schedule breaks like this at first, but you likely will come to look forward to these times with as much anticipation as kids waiting to hear reindeer footsteps on Christmas Eve.
Learn to say no. There will always be one more activity, one more party or one more opportunity to add something else to the holiday schedule. As tempting as it might be to always take every available opportunity, recognize the beauty in the mundane and only say yes to the things that are truly important to you and your family. Your sanity is worth it!
Look for ways to keep your normal schedule intact. It’s inevitable that things will change during busy seasons, but whenever possible, find ways to keep up with your family’s natural routines. Do you always do takeout pizza and a movie on Friday nights? Are Sunday afternoons reserved for naps and picking up the house before starting a new week? Honor that family time and keep the traditions as standing appointments. Find ways to make them holiday-themed: Pick holiday movies that are meaningful to your family and listen to holiday music while you’re doing everyday housework!
Leave it all behind … literally! Have you ever taken a trip during the holiday season? It might seem like an unconventional time to pack up and leave town, but think of it this way: The holidays are a time for reconnecting with family and for making memories your kids will always remember. What better way to do that than by traveling? Just make sure your destination is somewhere you will be able to truly relax. Don’t simply move your busy schedule to another physical location. Consider booking an AirBnB or VRBO for the whole family, pack your favorite board games and movies, and plan to just hang out together with no outside obligations.
Take time to rest and recharge! However you choose to reset your family’s calendar this year, make sure you are carving out time for true rest … even if that means saying no to fun activities sometimes. It’s okay to not be involved in every opportunity. Go to bed earlier or sleep in an extra hour or two on the weekends. Ask for a massage or a spa day as a gift, then go use it! You deserve the chance to recharge.
Give yourself grace. Sometimes, a chaotic calendar is absolutely unavoidable, and when that’s the case, it’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up if you are having a hard time finding somewhere to put downtime into your schedule. Make it a goal to make one small improvement at a time. Even if it’s just 15 or 30 minutes of rest—that’s better than no time at all. Be proud of yourself for making an effort to give your body and brain as much downtime as you can!
Julie McKinley is a single homeschooling mom, freelance writer and theater teacher. She lives with her two cats and two kids in Lee’s Summit.