Early Reminder to Rest DURING THE HOLIDAYS

PC: @maisondeanya

I seem to have taken up the role among some friends as a human alarm clock reminder for rest. I catch them mid-tornado and remind them it’s okay to say no to things, it’s okay to stay at home and do nothing. With the holidays approaching, I know many of you are already building up beads of sweat on your foreheads, mentally creating a checklist of all that needs to be done (before anxiety kicks in and seduces you into putting it off until the last minute). For some, the holidays are a harbinger of stress, rather than bliss. And while different circumstances might be leading you to that sensation, if the cause is simply bad time management and overwhelming to-do lists, then I’m here to help unload some of that mental weight from you.

After all, this is just as much time for you to reflect on all your accomplishments of the year as it is celebrating others. It’s time for you to pat yourself on the back and take a little breather: you did great. You need time to process that, you need time to pamper the body that got you through the year.

It’s pretty wild how the last two months of the year blitz by at twice the speed of all the other months, but it’s something we’ll simply have to work with. I’m writing this blog post now so that you can get ahead on scheduling in your rest before it’s too late (P.S., if you have a planner, it will help to have it out now). Set in stone are a few key dates and need-to-do’s that we can’t reschedule, and those are:

1. Thanksgiving weekend

2. Christmas weekend (or whichever holiday you celebrate)

3. New Years

4. Gift buying

5. Entertaining friends and family who are visiting

If you want to save some time, you can either do all of your holiday shopping early and online (just do it, you procrastinator), or combine it with point #5 and spend quality time with loved ones while shopping. Look at your planner and see where you have some empty slots. Circle them with a big red marker, and keep them empty as best as you can. Even if it’s only a half day, consider this your rest day. Make this the day that you:

1. Stay at home

2. Wrap your presents

3. Do a face mask

4. Curl up to a good book

5. Drink hot chocolate

6. Watch a Christmas movie

7. Jam out to Christmas music

8. Take a weekend Getaway trip

And if you need a little holidays inspiration, check out our NYC holiday checklist right here!