How to keep your well-being in check over Christmas

Christmas. The season of joy, happiness, family and fun. Or at least that’s what everyone tells you it’s supposed to be. But what if Christmas is affecting your mental health? With everything that’s gone on this year a lot of us are struggling and just because it’s Christmas it doesn’t mean to say those struggles go away. Here’s how to keep on top of your mental health this year.

Make the right decisions for you

So Christmas traditionally means more family time right? This year is going to look a little different though with up to three households being allowed to form a Christmas bubble for five days in the U.K. For some the Christmas bubble will be enough, a little light at the end of the tunnel. For others it won’t be enough, for example what happens if you and you partner both have parents that are divorced and siblings too? How do you decide who makes the bubble and who doesn’t or do you say that you’re having Christmas alone to stop just one set of parents being left out?

But while some of us are worrying that we won’t get to see our families this year others feel like the Christmas bubble is too much. There are a whole host of reasons why people may not want to spend time with family. You might not get along with your family and constantly being told Christmas is for family time will make you feel worse.

I’ve spoken about things you’re not obliged to do at Christmas before. And spending time with family falls right into that. If family time is overwhelming for your mental health then you absolutely shouldn’t feel pressured to spend time with anyone. You have to make the choices that right for you and if that’s a Christmas with just your partner or a Christmas that doesn’t include certain family members then stand by your decision. It’s tough but you’ll feel better for it in the long run.

Unsubscribe from sales emails

I saw a lot of this around Black Friday but the same goes for Christmas and New Year sales too. 2020 has been a tough year financially and those sales emails are designed to make you spend, to make you think you can’t miss out on a deal. If you’re not in a great financial position do what ever it takes to protect yourself. Unsubscribe from emails, delete apps, unfollow on social media.

Debt and financial stress are massive triggers for mental health and well-being and Christmas is expensive. Keeping a healthy check on your finances throughout the season will ensure you come out for the other side feeling better and with a healthy bank balance. Ending one year and starting another in debt because of sales isn’t wise.

Stick to your feel good routines

If your mental health is known to fluctuate throughout the year then you’ve probably got some routines in places that help keep everything in check. We all know that routine goes out for the window and Christmas and half the time we don’t even know what day it is in the week between Christmas and new year. Keeping a routine that works well for you in place over Christmas though is essential for maintaining your well-being.

If you’re finding Christmas a struggle this year then establishing a routine will help too. Take some time off line, get some fresh air, stay hydrated and avoid anything or anyone that doesn’t make you feel good. Try taking a walk each day or having 30 minutes out to read or meditate.

Save for later!

Avoid comparisons

I love sharing snaps of our Christmas on Instagram and I always write a ‘what we got for Christmas’ blog post because I absolutely love them and I love reading others peoples. I do it so I can remember my favourite time of year and because I know there are others who genuinely enjoy reading those sorts of posts like me. I whole-heartedly believe the vast majority of people share their festive season on social media to create memories for themselves and share fun, light-hearted content with like minded people.

However there will always be a small number of influencers who create perfectly staged and curated content over their holidays, and that is completely their choice. That’s where comparison can creep in though. We wasn’t your Christmas Day picture perfect, why didn’t you all have cute matching pj’s, where are all your perfectly wrapped brown paper presents with elaborate ribbons and bows. What you have to remember is that’s not reality. It’s set up to create a beautiful picture. If that sort of content has a negative impact on your thinking, I strongly suggest unfollowing. Curate a social media feed that makes you feel happy and comfortable. Not one that fills you with doubt.

New Year blues

I’ve spoken about the new year and my mental health before but I think it’s important to remember that a lot of people do struggle with the new year. It sort of follows on from my last point about comparison as it’s the time of year where a lot of people are talking about their achievements. If you’ve had a tough year it can be hard not to start comparing.

It’s important to be realistic, the 1st of January isn’t a magic potion that fixes everything that’s not right. It is a fresh start though and there’s things you can do to have a more happy and positive start to the year if you’re not a big fan of January.

And remember, 2020 was the year we all faced challenges that we never even imagined. Surviving that is a big enough achievement.

Christmas can be a truly wonderful time and it’s definitely my favourite time of the year but it is important to take care of yourself, to do what’s right for you and your mental health. That’s when you can really start to enjoy the season.

Do you have an tips for keeping a check on your mental health and well-being over Christmas? Share them in the comments!

Pin this: