3 Ways to Avoid Holiday Burnout + Actually Enjoy Family Gatherings (Even if You Dread Them)

Ah, the holidays. Otherwise known as: the season for family gatherings. Some people love them, some people hate them, but pretty much everyone has to deal with them. As an introvert, I’ve always found family gatherings stressful, both physically and emotionally. So is there a way to actually ENJOY the holidays with all their ups and downs and not get burnt out?

Yes. There is. If you know you’re going to get burnt out, stressed, and just DRAINED by the holiday season, why wait for it to happen? Instead, let’s take some preventative measures so that we can maybe avoid burnout altogether.

Don’t get me wrong: I love Christmastime and everything it involves. But between shopping and cooking and baking and hosting and visiting…we can forget to tend to our own needs and stay mentally healthy to be the best version of ourselves and spread even more Christmas cheer.

01. TAKE MOMENTS FOR YOURSELF

The best way to avoid holiday burnout is simple: take some time for yourself. Think about it — the holidays are all about spending time with others and that means GIVING OF YOURSELF. So when you’re constantly emptying your cup of energy, of course you’re going to feel drained! It’s only natural! You need to take some time to refill your cup… aka: time for yourself.

Take a bath, listen to a relaxing playlist, read a book, make some tea, do your nails, practice yoga… do something that’s JUST FOR YOU. It’s not selfish, it’s self-care. And it will make you a happier, nicer person to be around so that’s what I call a WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE.

02. STAY PRESENT

I personally believe that a lot of our negative feelings come from having the wrong attitude about what’s happening around us. Maybe it’s not that “the holidays” or “family gatherings” burn you out, it’s that your attitude about them burns you out. I’m not saying this is true in your case, but be honest with yourself. See if there is something you can do to adjust your attitude and approach the holidays (and any stress they entail) with more positivity and grace.

Just think: it will all be over soon, just another memory in your head. So enjoy it while it’s happening!! Stay present and try to enjoy even the moments that are usually taxing. Imagine you are Future You remembering this Christmas party happening. (It’s kind of a freaky way to look at things, but surprisingly helpful for appreciating the moment!)

03. BE AUTHENTIC AND HONEST

Another thing that can be super draining about the holidays is those people. You know, the ones who are so rarely a part of your circle, they’re totally unacquainted with your life, job, and hobbies…or at least they have to be reacquainted with them every year at Christmastime.

It’s always a tricky conversation to have when an Extended Family Member™ asks you what college you’re going to and the answer is “none.” Or when they want to know if you’ve met a “nice young man” or “nice young woman” yet and your answer is “actually I’m single and okay with it.” I’ve found, after many an awkward conversation like this, IT’S BEST TO JUST BE YOURSELF. If they don’t approve of your choices, who cares! You only see them once a year anyway!

Surrounded by the stress of People™ and Parties™ it can be easy to just duck out of awkward or difficult conversations. But this year, I dare you to not hide in the closet with your phone and watch YouTube. I dare you to boldly introduce yourself to your family and friends and be proud of who you are. When it’s all over, you’ll feel so much better about everything because you can rest assured that you were true to yourself.

Sometimes it just comes down to this: smile because you can. Or at least smile for that one person in your life who loves the holidays and loves to see you smile. I hope these tips will help you to stay present and happy this season, so that you can make lovely memories for years to come.

TALK, BRO

Do you dread family gatherings? (And do you ever hide from them in a closet with your phone? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.) What is your FAVORITE thing about Christmas? Go-to way to practice self-care?