Does the Christmas season ever feel as exhausting as running a marathon?
Have you ever trained to run in a marathon?
If not, can you imagine the self-control and dedication required to prepare for the event? Runners put in months of work to get themselves ready both physically and mentally, including a regulated diet, proper gear, and a carefully planned schedule that allows for longer and longer runs with time in between to let their bodies recover.
You and I are not preparing to run a twenty-six-mile race, but we are facing a marathon of sorts: The Thanksgiving-to-New-Year’s holiday season is a five-week stretch packed with extra activities, expectations, and temptations. The season can be a time of smiles and special moments, or it can be a grueling, frustrating slog.
Getting yourself in proper shape ahead of time can help you get to the end of the race without losing your sanity or your stamina.
Are you ready for your holiday marathon?
Here are some suggestions to help you make it to the finish line in one piece.
Prepare yourself
- Don’t start the holiday season exhausted. Pay extra attention to diet and rest in the weeks leading up to December.
- Decide today what diet and exercise goals you want to maintain through the season. Be reasonable. Be firm. Be specific.
- Give yourself permission to fail at those diet goals. (Yes, really.) But also have a plan to get right back up and try again tomorrow.
- Know your triggers. Acknowledge them. And then resolve to do whatever is in your power to avoid the temptations and situations that lead to trouble. (Does that mean banning a certain holiday treat from the house? Carefully monitoring your protein intake so you don’t hit a low-energy meltdown in the middle of the crowded mall?)
- Decide now that self-care is a priority. You won’t get through the marathon if you neglect to care for yourself. And when you suffer, so do those around you.
- Find a touchstone that will remind you what you are supposed to be celebrating and why. A song, a mantra, a holiday devotional, anything that will point you back to thankfulness, hope, and love.
Prioritize
- Identify your must-have holiday events, activities, and traditions. These are your first priority when scheduling the rest of life!
- Identify which events, activities, and traditions you would love to include but can do without if that’s what it takes to remain sane and ensure the top priorities happen.
- Identify what traditions and activities don’t fit in your current season of life, or are not feasible this year. Decide to let them go. Do it now. (You have not lost them forever. You are merely making an intentional decision to skip them for this year.)
- Remember your Priority One activities as you head into the race. Don’t get sidetracked into spending too much time, energy, or money on holiday events that are NOT your priorities.
Plan ahead
- Get all Priority One events on the calendar ASAP. And then block out the time you’ll need to prepare for them. (Cleaning, shopping, baking, etc.)
- Decide on a gift budget before Black Friday hits. Give yourself a price range for gifts (both big and small). Then you won’t add stress second-guessing every purchase later on.
- Get supplies ahead of time: gift wrap, tape, ribbon, greens, party supplies, etc. The more you can purchase these things before life gets crazy, the better. The goal is to avoid a panic trip to the store on an already-too-busy day.
- Have an emergency meal or two in the freezer for the days when your schedule goes to pieces or you’re too weary to even think about food groups.
Pace yourself
- Schedule down time into your weeks.
- Divide and conquer—spread big projects or prep work for parties over several days.
- Look for opportunities to make things ahead (when you have a slot of time) in order to free up time and reduce stress later on.
- Monitor your energy and sanity levels and adjust expectations accordingly.
I hope these ideas will help your holiday marathon be filled with less stress and more joy.
What are your favorite strategies for getting through the holidays?
