Five Cost-Free Secrets to a Stressless Festive Season

It’s no secret that the festive season can be demanding, with studies even highlighting that the ‘Christmas hormone’ can cause significant fatigue. Combine that with the seemingly never-ending to-do list, and the ‘holiday’ quickly becomes an endurance test.  

But in a time where inflation stood at 11.1% in October, meaning that the affordability of goods and services is at an all-time low, the pressure of Christmas has arguably never felt greater.  

In light of this, Barefoot Coaching, who have released a brand-new survival kit for navigating the Christmas chaos unscathed, share their five top tips on how to avoid the Christmas rat race and ensure the season is in fact one filled with peace and calm, and most importantly low expense.
 

Messages of joy and hope 

Have you ever noticed that Christmas card messages tend to focus on emotions and feelings rather than tangible gifts or goods? When you receive a card, you have the reassurance that this person has been thinking of you and has even taken the time to write a few lines to show they care. Schedule 10-15 minutes a day to either reach out to a friend via phone or text or write a letter or card to someone you care about to let them know you’re thinking of them. We guarantee this small act of kindness will go a lot further than the box of shortbread you were originally going to buy them! 

Know when to say no, it’s your Christmas too 

Prioritising your wellbeing is vital for a calm and stress-free Christmas. You’re likely wearing multiple hats during the festive season and organising lots of different elements (shopping, events, wrapping, kids, friends, family, the list goes on…). So being empowered to say no to the things that don’t light you up is vital. Don’t want to go to your neighbour’s festive drinks when they don’t speak to you the rest of the year? Say no. Don’t want to run around picking up gifts for your siblings to give to your parents (you know, after you sent messages a month ago reminding them)? Say no.  

Don’t take responsibility for everyone else’s enjoyment 

Planning in joy is a part of Christmas that often gets forgotten in all the ‘doing’! How about making a Christmas bucket list of things that bring you joy. Who do you want to visit? (Or not!) Do you need a mince pie and a gingerbread latte in your favourite cafe with a book for half an hour of peace and quiet to recharge? Do it! Don’t want to spend your whole Christmas cooking 25 different dishes for everyone’s individual preferences? Don’t! Delegate dishes to all your guests to bring with them and make it part of the fun! Make your own personal wellbeing list, check it twice and enjoy every second of the things that you like this festive season!   

Prioritise movement  

Get up, get out and get moving. In the midst of the festive period, it’s very easy to forget to hit pause, breathe and focus on movement. Christmas is a time of indulgence, which can often make us feel sluggish, and yes, we know that exercise is normally the first thing to slip when our lives get busy! Make a promise to yourself on 1 December (or sooner if you like) to commit to at least 15 minutes of exercise a day. This could be a walk around the block, a yoga class on YouTube or a FaceTime workout with a friend. Simple exercises can make a huge difference when you’re feeling emotionally or physically exhausted around the Christmas period, but the good news is, they can easily be slotted into your working day. 

Stop keeping up with the Jones’  

Do what feels good for you, not what you think you ‘should be doing’. At this time of year, it is really easy to look at what others are doing and put extra pressure on yourself to have the perfect Christmas, buy the perfect gifts or attend every sparkling event. Remember, you do not have to do this. This is a moment to consider what is really important to you and focus on that, not on keeping up with others (especially on social media where everything looks perfect, but the reality can be quite different!). Knowing your own core values, and staying true to yourself, not only feels good but it takes the pressure to “perform” for other people out of it, and that’s really the secret to a calm Christmas.