The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is upon us! You might feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and the excitement of the holiday season starts to set in. You might feel like the magic of the holiday season falls on you…the gifts, outfits, menu, travel plans, school events, family events, logistics and organization of the holidays themselves, etc. If you allow it to, the holiday season can completely consume your time and energy, but I am here to tell you Mama, it doesn’t have to be that way. 

You are important too. You are just as important as the coordinating outfits and the teacher gifts. The phrase “you can’t pour from an empty cup” is relevant now more than ever. Keep your cup full so you can completely enjoy the magic of the holiday season.

Wake Up 15 Minutes Earlier

I know what you’re saying, “self care tips for me, and I have to lose sleep because of it?” If you can’t wake up 15 minutes earlier, try 10 minutes, if that still sounds daunting, only do this two or three times a week. However you choose to do it, use this time for YOU and only you. Don’t start making breakfast for the family, don’t pack lunch, or switch over the laundry, find something that fills your cup. Maybe it is quite literally filling your cup with coffee and drinking it in peace and quiet before the house wakes up. 

You can use this time to read a book or write in a journal if that is what brings you joy, you can also use this time to watch the news and lounge on the couch before you need to start the morning. Maybe you want to use the extra time to just scroll through your phone, or go to the bathroom alone and with nobody awake to come find you, whatever it is, use this time for you.

Go To Bed Early One Night a Week

I know you might feel like you are losing out on sleep if you choose to follow that first tip, but this tip will allow you to recover! Pick one night a week and go to bed early. Not just crawl into bed and binge watch some reality TV, but actually turn the TV off, put the phone away and close your eyes. The holiday season can be overwhelming, and anything you feel like you need to do, can be done tomorrow. 

Prioritize what you need to get done and then leave the rest for the next day. Going to bed “early” is going to be different for everyone, that could be 9:00 for one mama and 11:00 for someone else, but either way pick one night a week to catch up on some much needed sleep. The Netflix shows will still be streaming tomorrow and there will always be laundry to do – so use this time to keep your mind and body well rested.

Keep Your Friends Close

It is easy to prioritize all that needs to get done during the holidays, and with that, some friendships may be briefly pushed to the side. Do your best to also prioritize your friendships. Sometimes you just need to laugh with some friends to fill your cup and keep your spirits high. Plan a girls night, grab a drink one night after the kids are in bed, make an effort to get some holiday shopping done together – whatever it is, use this as an opportunity for some self care during the chaos of the holiday season.

Pamper Yourself

This time of year, more than ever, you deserve to pamper yourself Mama! Make the time to get your nails done or get a massage, something that you might not normally treat yourself to. You might choose to pamper yourself with a walk around a local park listening to music or you might ask your partner to step in with the kids so you can go take a nap.

However you choose to pamper yourself, find something that will make you happy and do it guilt-free. The stress of the holiday season can be overwhelming, and you don’t want the stress to continue to build. Remember you are just as important as the holidays, treat yourself that way.

When the anxiety is building over figuring out the travel plans or getting your house ready to host family for the holidays, remember….

This Too Shall Pass

The holiday season will quickly end and your family routine will be back in place. When making time for self care this holiday season, take a deep breath and know that the stress of the season will soon be behind you. 

This too shall pass – the Christmas morning memories, the hearty laughs, and the bright smiles…it all goes by too quickly. Focus on the important things, because next holiday season your little ones will be a little bigger, and these beautifully chaotic days might be a little less chaotic. You work hard to bring the magic to your household during the holidays, work just as hard to keep your cup full too!