Wellness Wednesday: Setting Healthy Boundaries Around the Holidays

The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy and happiness, right? The last thing we want to feel is emotionally and mentally drained from all the holiday parties, gift-giving, baking, etc., while still trying to maintain our sanity at work.

The holidays can be the best – and busiest – time of year. It’s important to set boundaries with family and friends during this time to fight holiday burnout. Here are four ways to set boundaries to create a healthy holiday season:

• Be realistic – With the pandemic overtaking most of our holiday gatherings last year, you might be inclined to accept every holiday party invitation. Accepting too many party invitations or overbooking yourself might lead to exhaustion or overwhelmed feelings.
• Make a priority list – There are items on your to-do list that are probably higher priority than others. Try to split your priority list into “Must-Do” tasks and “Can-Wait” tasks. What can wait until after the new year to get done around the house or at work? What needs to be done by a certain date or for a certain gathering?
• Set an “end” time – Parties don’t have to last into the early morning hours. If you’re hosting, make sure your guests know ahead of time what time you’d like the party to end. It can be a simple text or phone call saying, “We can’t wait to see you tomorrow! We’re thinking of eating at 6 p.m. with games after until about 9 p.m.. See you soon!” If you’re not hosting, don’t feel bad about leaving before others. Your rest and peace of mind are more important!
• Remember what “fills your cup” – The busier we get, the less “free” time we have. To avoid holiday burnout though, remember to do the things you enjoy. Whether that’s a warm cup of tea by the fireplace or a workout with friends, do activities that help you destress and refill your cup.