As we approach the end of the year and the grand finale of the holiday season, December tends to be a chaotic month for many of us. With seemingly endless festivities and very few opportunities to slow down, it can be easy to put our own well-being on the back burner. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite ways to keep feeling our best – physically and mentally – when you’re on the holiday rebound. Here’s a Workbench guide to staying well (and sane) throughout the last days of one year and the first days of the new one.
- Drink water – It wouldn’t be a wellness guide without shouting out good ol’ H2O. With the extra traveling and indulging, it can be easy to forget proper hydration. Ensuring adequate water intake will keep you feeling your best throughout the holiday celebrations, and could help curb any mulled wine-induced hangovers the next day.
- Indulge without guilt – This rule holds true year-round; we believe you should never feel guilty about enjoying a delicious meal or snack. But around the holidays, we find the extra reminder never hurts. So go on, have another cookie.
- Plan a holiday gathering with loved ones – we’re talking about the people you really enjoy spending time with. Does your annual trip to Aunt Maggie’s house make you feel more tense than festive? Invite a few friends over the next day to watch a Christmas movie and eat leftovers from your previous gatherings. The key is to not stress about cleaning up or being a good host, just focus on unwinding and celebrating with your chosen family.
- Unplug – Try putting away the phone during holiday festivities. Maybe even try going a whole day without it sometime between now and the end of the year. If leaving your phone at home is a little too nerve-wracking, try putting it on Do Not Disturb and allowing only calls and texts from the most important contacts. That way, you can unplug without worrying that you’re unreachable in case of emergency.
- Get outside (yes, really) – Even in the cold, fresh air is an instant mood booster, made even more potent when combined with exercise. Go for a post-meal walk around the block, or get a jog in before the ice and snow arrive. Just be sure to bundle up!
- Try a new hobby – If you’re lucky enough to have off of work next week, instead of binging Netflix until work starts again (an idea that always sounds better in theory), try making something with your hands. If you were gifted one of our Hobby Boxes (or if you gifted yourself one), this is a perfect time to tackle the included DIY macrame plant hanger. In need of some hobby inspiration? May we suggest doing a puzzle, playing an instrument, painting, crocheting, woodworking, indoor rock climbing, candlemaking, trying a yoga class….
- Do that thing you’ve been putting off – Yes, that thing. The thing that you thought of right away when you started reading this point. This is probably the least glamorous, but most effective stress-reducing tip on this list. Chances are, there’s a task that you’ve been avoiding that is weighing on you and you know it’ll only take 20 minutes to do, but you haven’t done it. Need to find a way to wrap that misshapen box for Grandma? Do you have mail waiting to be sent? A bill that doesn’t technically need to be paid until the first? Just go do it, you’ll be glad you did.
What’s your favorite way to stay well during the holidays? What is your biggest struggle when it comes to this time of year? Share any tips you have and get some inspiration from our community in the comments section!
Whether you’re celebrating this week or not, we hope you take a minute to slow down and enjoy what’s left of 2023. We can’t wait to let you in on all our plans for 2024 – we’ll see you next year!
