You have a zillion presents to wrap, you just grabbed a few tags off the Circles Christmas Wish tree for their Toy Shop, you have cookies to bake for your Bible study, and you still haven’t taken the kids to see Santa or purchased tickets for the Christmas concert. All you want to do is sit down with a hot cup of cocoa and watch Hallmark movies. Sound familiar? Christmas can be the most wonderful time of year, but it can also be the most stressful.

It can be so easy to get overwhelmed this time of year. We want to do everything and attend all the events to make it the most magical Christmas EVER. And then, all of a sudden, you’re done! Burnt out and just ready for all the craziness to be over.

Self-care is the conscious act of prioritizing one’s mental, physical, and mental health. It might surprise you how much difference it will make to prioritize self-care during the holidays and beyond. The secret is to do it BEFORE you need it! Make it a habit and watch how it changes your well-being. Below are a few reminders about self-care:

Be Intentional: Being intentional is about paying attention, prioritizing, and making choices based on what is important to you. Pay attention to what your mind, body, and soul are telling you. Do you need to slow down? Do you need to stop and re-evaluate your calendar? Do you need to tell someone, “No, not today”

Plan Ahead: This is key to avoiding burnout during the Christmas season. Sit down with your calendar and schedule all the most important activities and events. If you find your schedule is too full, pick and choose which activities need to be dropped or skipped. Remember, you don’t have to say yes to everything. It is OK to say NO.

Stick to Rhythms and Routines: One of the simplest forms of self-care is to maintain your daily rhythms and routines. Simply maintaining routines around eating, exercise, housekeeping, and sleep can be very beneficial and help you feel more focused, productive, and less stressed.

Ask for Help: This is hard for most of us. Why is it so hard to ask for help? It seems so much easier to do everything ourselves, right? We can do it all, right? But should we? We all need help from time to time but allowing others to help BEFORE you hit the burnout stage is key. You might even be making someone else feel valued and appreciated by asking them for help!

Let Go of Expectations: Who made the rules? No, seriously, who made the rules? These rules make us feel like we have to do it all and be everywhere, or they may make you feel like we’re not doing it “right?” or “good enough”. Make your own rules. Let go of all the self-imposed rules and regulations. Do things your way. Release the pressures of everyone else’s expectations. After all, it’s YOUR holiday!

• Don’t love cooking at Christmas? Then don’t. Start a new tradition of going out to eat.
• Can’t afford to buy expensive gifts for all your coworkers? Then don’t. Make them each a batch of cookies and write a nice handwritten note.
• Dread putting Christmas decorations out in your yard every year, then don’t. Put a wreath on your door and call it a day.

Connect: Research has shown that feeling connected to others is one of the best predictors of happiness and contentment in life. Prioritize relationships during this Christmas season by making time to connect with friends, family, and loved ones but do it in a way that is best for you. Focus on activities that nurture your relationship with others during the holiday season. This can be done with a phone call, sending a note, or scheduling time together. Do what works for you.

Nourish your Body: Make healthy choices. Hydrate. Move your body – get some exercise. Get enough sleep. Maintaining your physical health can not only reduce anxiety, frustration, and stress but also improve concentration, energy, and happiness. But please don’t miss the pumpkin pie! It’s all about moderation.

Plan Downtime: One of the biggest ways to reduce stress is to schedule downtime. Plan it. Rest is an essential element of our well-being, and it’s essential during the holidays. Take a nap. Unplug for an hour. Go to bed early. Whatever is restful and restorative to you, plan it!

Treat Yourself: I’m not talking fudge, cookies, and candy here. I’m talking about the little things that make you smile. The things that make you feel joyful. Make your needs known. Let your loved ones know what would make your holiday special. Is it shopping together with your mother? Maybe a full day at home with no one else there to get all the wrapping done? Listen to your mind, body, & soul- what do you need?

Practice Mindfulness: It’s easy to get caught up in all the craziness. There is just so much going on during the holidays. Focusing on being present can improve your emotional health and overall well-being. When you are present in the moment, you are bound to feel His presence too.  “In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” Psalm 16:11

• Try gratitude journaling.
• Schedule time for prayer and meditation.
• Sit in the quiet to feel God’s presence around you.
• Take a step back and think about all the wonderful blessings in your life.
• Take a walk outside to view your neighborhood’s decor and get some fresh air.

Give Back: Giving back to others or paying it forward can reduce your blood pressure and stress levels and increase your self-esteem, happiness, and satisfaction in life. The apostle Paul reminds us of Jesus’ words, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20: 35), and there are many ways to give back here at St. Luke’s:

• Consider making a special donation to St. Luke’s this December as a celebration offering of gratitude for all God is accomplishing through our ministries. Click HERE to give a special offering.
• Sign up to serve as a host at one of the many Christmas Eve services. Sign up HERE.
• Pick up a gift tag from the Christmas Wish trees on campus to purchase a gift for a Circles West Orange family for their Holiday party and Toy Shop. Learn more HERE.
• Sign up to provide a meal or gift card for Family Promise. Learn more HERE.
• Reach out to serve as a leader with our Youth or Children’s Ministries.  For Youth, contact Brandon Sangster and for Children’s Ministry contact Lana Stevens.

I hope these tips provide some reminders to make time for yourself and slow down the hustle and bustle if needed so the holidays are less stressful and more joyful for you and your family. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas season.

Lisa Crump, RN. BSN. FCN

Parish Nurse, SLUMC