How to switch off for the holidays

Christmas is only a week away, so here are some tips on how to switch off for the holidays and enjoy the festive period.

December is probably the most stressful month of the year, leading up to Christmas. There are presents to buy and wrap, food to order, decorations to put up, and on top of that, your normal routines of work and family.

It can sometimes get to be too much for some people. And whilst you may think you've got lots of time to sort everything out, Christmas usually sneaks up on us, even though we know it's coming at the same time every year.

However, I thought I'd share some tips on how to switch off for the holidays, so that everyone can actually enjoy the festive period and spend time with family and friends without worrying.

If you find December and Christmas to be stressful and chaotic, consider the tips below for some helpful advice.

Put your phone away

In the modern age, almost everything can be done on our phones: taking photos, communicating with others, ordering gifts, etc. But sometimes, we can easily get wrapped up in scrolling on our phones for hours.

So, to help you switch off for the holidays, try putting your phone away. I don't mean turn it off completely over Christmas—if there's an emergency, people still need to get in contact—but leaving it in a room, maybe on silent, can help.

Having time away from our phones allows us to connect with things around us and means we can be fully present in the moment, letting us focus on the here and now.

Write a recap and to-do list

One of the things I struggle with over the holidays is my work. I tend to finish a week or so before Christmas and don't return until a few days into January.

However, having a prolonged period of time off means I often forget what I was doing before the holiday and what is essential after.

So, I write a list. Before I take time off for Christmas, I write a list of things I've done, where I stand with a project, etc. I also write a to-do list for after the holidays.

This helps when I return to work, so I know what things need doing and where I'm up to, making it less stressful and making me less confused.

Make a food list (to buy and to prep)

Christmas is full of lots of things, and one of those things is food. It can be very stressful and time-consuming trying to figure out and buy all the food you need for Christmas.

There's Christmas dinner, desserts, snacks, and breakfast—the list is endless.

But writing a list of all the food you need to get and the different foods/meals that need prepping before Christmas can definitely help. It can also help to write when to cook things, for example, do you need to cook a turkey joint on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day?

This will help you switch off for the holidays because you won't have to constantly think about each thing; instead, you can just look at your list.

Embrace all sorts of wrapping

Something I find stressful is wrapping, but that's mainly because I struggle to measure the wrapping paper correctly for each present. The folding and sticking I've got down, but not the cutting.

However, I'm trying to embrace all sorts of wrapping. Whether that's too much paper, mismatched paper, too much cellotape, jagged edges, or simply tissue paper-wrapped presents.

The idea of a gift isn't for it to be beautifully wrapped; after all, the wrapping paper gets ripped off and put in the bin. The thing that matters is the gift itself and the thought behind it.

So, if wrapping presents is something that stresses you out, then embrace all sorts of wrapping to help you switch off as we get closer to the holidays.

Take time to indulge

Switching off for the holidays is key because it's a time to spend with family and friends and feel grateful for what we all have. But it's also a time to care for ourselves and make sure we're taken care of.

This festive season, to help you relax and switch off, take time to indulge in things you like. Whether that's a day shopping (although that can be quite stressful at Christmas), a nice meal out, or an evening in with sweet treats, a festive movie and the Christmas lights on.

However, you like to relax and take a moment, make sure you do this Christmas.

I hope these tips help you switch off this Christmas and enjoy the holidays! As always, if you've got tips of your own, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Until next time...