Remember the days when someone else was responsible for the plan? Well, now that person is you, so let’s break down how to function without stress this holiday season.
1. Holiday Healthy
There are three main factors that go into health: diet, exercise and self-care. All three are equally important and they all work together to keep you in tip-top condition. Staying healthy over the holiday period is going to maximise your enjoyment of it. That being said, we know those “good for us” choices tend to make way for celebratory ones around this time.
Delicious Diet
There are a tonne of diets out there. Many involve staying away from sugar, regulating alcohol intake, and going easy on the rich foods. The people who invented those must be unfamiliar with the silly season. All these things can be a challenge at the best of times, let alone during a period of celebration. If you can’t indulge on Christmas, when can you?
The iconic phrase “everything in moderation” endures! As long as you are enjoying in moderation, and substituting processed foods and refined sugars for natural alternatives wherever you can, you’ll be alright. Most of us admit to putting on a couple of extra kilos during this time, so we’re all in this together. Just ensure that you are still maintaining a diet that includes fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins and healthy fats to counterbalance those sweet treats – and of course, wash it all down with water.
If you’re on the hunt for some snacks that toe the line between cheeky and healthy, check out this recipe for Chewy Almond Truffles and these Paleo Protein Balls, both from Lola Berry.
Festive Fitness
With the New Year right around the corner, you’ll justify neglecting your workouts now by writing them back into your resolutions later on. We totally get it, but if you’re going to be indulging in the holiday diet, you’ll need to work off some of it. Exercise is how we make room for dessert!
Light, consistent exercise is key if you’d rather spend time with family than the gym. Going for a jog every other morning, doing yoga twice a week, biking around the block, or going for a walk to look at the neighbourhood Christmas displays are all easy ways of incorporating light exercise into your routine. Exercising with those loved ones is even better.
There are a tonne of online resources for wellness. Take advantage of YouTube for home workout routines, like Yoga With Adriene. Apps are also a great way to take exercise with you. Nike Training Club and Freeletics are both cool apps that will help you stay on top of your fitness this season.
Seasonal Self-Care
With all the extra food, catching up and seasonal frivolity, we may actually be neglecting ourselves. Getting caught up the world around us means we tend to push self-care to the side. In reality, this is the time of year where we should be focussing on ourselves.
It’s the season of giving, so don’t forget to give to yourself! Take time for yourself and take advantage of the holiday season. If you’re lucky enough to take some time off work, let yourself recharge and destress in whichever way you enjoy. If you want some inspiration, head to this mindfulness blog, hit up these self-care tips, and check out this zen lifestyle.
We’re also developing a wellness series on our YouTube channel, so subscribe for some self-care content, this video all about box breathing.
One of the easiest ways to give back to yourself (and to others) this season is to gift a Blys massage. It’s flexible, convenient and personal – the Christmas gift you’ll actually use. Massages are a fantastic way to rejuvenate the body and mind. Whether you’re gifting relaxation or therapeutic relief, a massage gift card from Blys really is the perfect gift for surviving Christmas.
2. Balancing Boundaries
Christmas time can be chaotic. There’s a lot of things to get done, and some of it has nothing to do with the silly season at all. Maintaining a healthy work/life balance can become all the more challenging around this time of the year, especially if you’re caught between spending time with loved ones and keeping the office in check.
Work Warrior
Not all of us have the luxury of stepping away from work just because the holidays are here. Setting boundaries is important to maintaining balance. Nobody can be available (technologically or mentally) all of the time, but we also know that snoozing emails and letting calls ring out isn’t an option for everyone.
Separating work from the rest of life can be as easy as switching off once you leave the office. Simple, but maybe not realistic in this day and age. Setting up automated email responses is an alternative way to let people know they have been acknowledged, which is important when you’re trying to spend time off or with loved ones. Strike a balance best suited to your profession and lifestyle. Don’t overwork yourself!
Happy at Home
If you’re working from home, that line between life and office can be a little fuzzy. A dedicated work space that doesn’t interfere with the rest of the house can help separate work from home. Switching off at the end of the day is important no matter where your office is.
When you’re at home, be present. Enjoy the time spent with the people around you or on your own. Dedicating time to others and to yourself is healthy.
Work during work time, be at home during down time, and don’t neglect you time. Meditate, read, watch Netflix, cook something, or get creative. Personalise “me time”. A Blys massage gift card is great for all occasions and can be arranged as as a home massage or corporate massage. Massages have been scientifically proven to reduce stress, increase productivity and focus, and refresh the body. A perfect holiday when you can’t go on holidays.
3. Merry Money
It’s this time of year where spending becomes as regular as breathing. Managing a budget during the holiday period can be tricky. Obviously you want to treat the people in your life, but racking up those shopping bills can get problematic. There are a few things you can do to maximise your budget and minimise your spending.
Some Saves
- Shop online and save time! These days you can buy clothing, homewares, toys, or even a massage gift voucher all from the comfort of the sofa. Buying online is fast, convenient, and subtle for those surprises.
- Find extra cash. Sell unworn or unwanted clothing, accessories or other belongings online. Depop is one such site that allows you to do this. You could also sign up with Airtasker and do the odd job here and there for a bit of bonus cash. People always need an extra pair of hands around the holidays.
Shop Skilfully
- Ask people for gift ideas. Get them to suggest things that they’d like so that you have specific spending parameters. Avoid spending on guesswork.
- Always shop with a list, and stick to it. This way you’ll avoiding over-spending when you pick up every nice thing that you see. Refer back to those gift ideas!
- Take advantage of sales. Check out catalogues, online stores, apps and in-store to find the best deals.
- Shop around and always try to price match. A lot of stores will be trying to meet KPIs, so negotiating on prices or bundling items together for a discount is a savvy way to shop and benefits everyone. You might be surprised by the hidden deals out there.
- Buy joint gifts where you can. That might mean teaming up with friends or family to buy something big for someone else, or buying one gift for two or more people. This is especially great for white goods or entertainment items.
When it comes to the silly season, we can get a little bit materialistic. If you’re worried about buying gifts this year, be open with people. Others will understand if you have genuine financial limitations. We hope this silly season survival guide has helped you prepare. If you’re still feeling stressed, treat yourself or others to a blyssful massage with our Christmas gift cards.
At the end of the day, gifts are just things. It’s not what you get, it’s what you do. Memories and experiences are more powerful than things!
