Finding yourself struggling after the holidays is a tough spot to be in.
There’s work or school to jump back into, but you might feel like no matter how hard you push, you can’t motivate yourself to move.
Maybe you’ve tried a lot of different tactics for eliminating stress during the holiday season. You cut back on events, budget for gifts, and prioritize time with the people you enjoy, but somehow you still feel overwhelmed. You may even plan a fun vacation, but as soon as you get back, you feel exhausted.
Managing stress over the holidays is important, but sometimes no matter what you do, it’s still going to take a toll – and that’s okay! Instead of pressuring yourself to come up with the perfect stress-free holiday season, it may help to take a gentler approach. Anticipate that it may be draining at times, and try building your own recovery plan to help you bounce back from it.
Here’s a template you can adjust to suit your needs:
1. What will help me take time to recover?
· Get home a day or two earlier than usual.
· Say no to last-minute events.
· Block off some free time in my schedule in advance.
· Reframe rest as a necessary recharge instead of “lazy.”
· Get family in on the recovery plan too.
2. What can help my body slow down?
· Take a walk
· Spend some time in nature
· Go to the park
· Gardening
· Gentle exercise
· Go to bed early
· Sleep in
· Schedule a stay-at-home day
· Plan some easy meals
· Listen to soothing music or sounds, ex: rain, ocean waves, classical music, chillhop/lofi
· Practice deep breathing
3. What can help my mind catch up?
· Reflect on what the holidays were like
· Take inventory of what you need
· Journal
· Talk to a friend
· Reflect on the past year
· Express through creativity, ex: painting, drawing, music
· Practice mindfulness, ex: yoga, meditation, grounding
· Allow your mind to disengage for a bit, ex: watch a movie, read
4. What can help me feel ready for routine again?
· Plan a day for rest and a day to prepare
· Jot down future goals
· Make a to-do list
· Talk to others for ideas, support, or accountability
· Complete some easy tasks for a quick sense of accomplishment
· Ease back in
Just like managing stress during the holiday season, your recovery plan doesn’t have to be perfect. Give yourself permission to experiment and tweak your plan when needed. Keep it flexible. Also keep in mind that recharging looks different for everybody – some people need a couple hours of alone time in a quiet space, others need time to vent or decompress with friends. Your plan doesn’t have to look the same as everyone else’s. Do what works best for you.
If you feel unmotivated to get back into the routine, that’s okay too! Whether you didn’t get to do everything you wanted over the holidays, transitions in general are hard for you, or you had such a great experience you don’t want it to end yet, give yourself some space to feel what you feel. A recovery plan is about giving yourself the time and resources you need to adjust. And that adjustment is allowed to look messy! You may find it much more sustainable in the long run than jumping from one busy season straight into the next.
If you find that the holidays brought up far more emotions than you expected, or you’re still having trouble managing your motivation, consider reaching out for support. A therapist can help you discover more tools for recovery.