As if six months to go until my wedding wasn’t stress enough, add on top of that the holiday season, near-constant work travel, and a myriad of other commitments. And, I don’t regret or would be willing to give up anything. It’s all about finding little ways to manage my stress (and ever mounting to-do list!) to help me Health Up (my) Holidays.
Get organized. Two minor investments are helping us stay on top of our ever mounting to-do list. First, we added a small white board in our kitchen where we keep a his-and-hers to-do list, that doubles as a place to leave notes to each other. It prevents me from driving my fiance crazy with my endless “you’re dealing with the caterer, right?” kind of questions, and let’s us stay connected even when our days at home don’t overlap. Second, the Mr. made me (yes, made) a gorgeous leather portfolio that I keep in my purse with separate to-do lists that are just mine. I have one for the wedding, one for the honeymoon, multiple for work, one for the blog, etc. There’s nothing more satisfying than to cross a few items off each week.
Invest in yourself. It’s all too easy to skip the gym or your morning run when life gets busy. But, you’ll feel better eating that extra piece of pie at Thanksgiving if you know you’ve made it to the gym three or four days a week. On the days when it feels impossible to step out for an hour, find a little way to get active. Take the stairs at the office, run a quick mile during lunch, add push-ups in little 2 minute bursts whenever you can. Channel your inner Elle Woods: Exercise gives you Endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.
Splurge a little. When the holiday bills are mounting (and in our case, wedding expenses too), it’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t need that trip to the nail salon or the new sweater that makes you feel amazing. The happier you are with the way you feel and look, the less the stress will impact you. We each set aside a small amount for discretionary expenses each month. We can then build those into our holiday budgets, and not feel like we have to give up on some of those little indulgences.
Make time for the people that matter. No matter how stressed things are, you can’t forget about your partner, best friend, or family. We’ve instituted a Friday night at-home day night. We make cocktails at home, cook dinner together, and catch up on the DVR. Is it a fancy night out? No. We tried that and actually found it more stressful to get out of the house than to just stay in (plus, there was that whole yoga pants versus real pants choice point). Still, it’s exactly what we need to reconnect after a crazy week.
How are you managing stress this holiday season?
This post was sponsored by Designer Protein as part of their Health Up Your Holidays campaign. Read my other HealthUpYourHolidays posts or search #HealthUpYourHolidays on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on healthy living this holiday season!