Holidays disrupt our routines with extra tasks to do and more events and parties to attend. We get off track with our daily self-care of bedtime, healthy eating, and mindfulness. Practicing routines during the holidays is most important because our routines keep life moving smoothly. Here are strategies on how to keep your routines while you enjoy the holiday season.

 

Make it easy

Rely on your trusted tools to help you and make routines easy. That lie we all tell ourselves, I don’t need to write it down because I will remember, especially applies during the holidays. Charts, planners, and dry-erase boards are our visual way to track our routines. We all need a road map so make it easy on yourself to chart your progress and keep on track. It is especially important to prioritize your activities and tasks for yourself and your family.

 

Prioritize wellness

Prioritizing always helps you stay on top of your routines. Mental well-being and physical wellness are important to enjoying the holiday season. You can rethink ways to include exercise in your day by walking stairs instead of the elevator, exercising with a quick class online, taking a walk to see holiday lights, and being sure to move hourly. Mental well-being can include setting boundaries for yourself with respect to holiday activities. Boundaries like how late you stay at a party and how many parties to attend help you stay true to your routines.

 

Keep it simple sweetie

It is tempting to overschedule your day to add in extra tasks and activities. Instead, look at the regular rhythm of your day and add simple bookends to each part of your day. These bookends or stopping points coincide with your regular routine.  Keeping it simple so that you have the same important pauses that keep you in line with your routines.

Mealtimes and bedtimes are examples of simple routines to keep. Have regular meals that fit into your day.  That might be breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or a series of meals with intermittent fasting.  Keep your schedule to fuel your body.  Determine a bedtime for you to ensure adequate rest so that you can be most productive. Your routine can be this simple during these busy times.

 

You might ask, what about all the extra tasks and activities fitting in? Keeping your health, wellness, and productivity going is foundational to your holiday fun. Adjust a little of your basic routine as needed, but remember to keep it going.