Carving Out Alone Time During the Holiday Season
One often associates the holidays with a constant slew of social events from Christmas parties, gift exchanges, and big family meals to relatives visiting and extended family get-togethers. The array of social commitments that can fill our calendars in December is often not only overwhelming, but sometimes even daunting. That is why it is of utmost importance to proactively carve out “you” time as a means to maintain any semblance of groundedness and sanity. The following are some strategies for achieving this often difficult intention of finding alone time amidst the barrage of social commitments and obligations.
Creatively Find Quietude
For most people, especially those with families, it’s almost impossible to completely bow out of large family gatherings, let alone get a few hours of quiet time. This means getting very creative in finding those opportunities that allow you to have moments of peace and quiet. It may be as simple as offering to be the one to grab the drinks for the party and using that half hour excursion to listen to music, unwind, and enjoy the solitude of a drive to the store. Or, it could be volunteering to take over dog walking responsibilities and savoring the 45 minutes of people interaction free time, with only your dog’s happy panting beside you.
Turn Off Your Phone
One way that we ensure a literal nonstop influx of socializing, interaction, and potentially more invitations to contend with is through our phones. Whether it is having it always on you so that you are always available to texts and calls or going on social media where you have to see everyone else’s holiday festivities, the phone acts as a direct barrier to quieting your mind and your schedule. So try carving out a few hours a day where you put your phone away, and by this I mean completely out of reach, and take a brief but much needed break from calls, texts, and social media.
Make An Appointment With Yourself
Another strategy for maintaining your sense of sanity during the holiday season is to actually physically schedule an appointment for me-time in your calendar. Even set a reminder for the appointment to ensure that you actually do it. The most challenging part about this practice is that it means practicing not dismissing this to-do simply because it’s not absolutely essential. The reality being that it is essential! You deserve to create this time for you as a means to ensure that you can fully show up as the person you want to be throughout the holidays season.
Schedule an Appointment for Therapy In Hermosa Beach
As a therapist in Hermosa Beach, I strive to help my clients look out for themselves and their needs in order to promote greater mental health and overall well-being. if you are interested in having the supportive space of therapy, just give me a call at 310.892.2572 to get started!