How women can avoid burnout this holiday season
The idea of the looming Christmas holiday season often fills already busy women with feelings of dread and despair.
While the holidays promise much needed time out from busy schedules, a study in the USA commissioned by Slumber Cloud revealed that one in three adults suffer from “holiday burnout”.
It is the same story in the UK, with a survey by Bounce Back Drinks reporting more than four in ten people are run down with the extra workload, and 35 per cent citing the extra planning and entertaining as a drain on their energy levels.
Festive burnout is a real and increasingly common phenomenon. For the busy woman who struggles to switch off, always works on holidays and considers taking just five minutes for themselves as a luxury, she is likely to approach Christmas the same way.
It all comes down to our own ingrained expectations. We unknowingly hold on to outdated ideals that may not serve us any longer. We often feel we have to put up with strained family dinners, buying gifts for the sake of it and pretend we are happy and joyful when really, we are lonely and exhausted.
For many women who feel this way, Christmas can be one of the loneliest times of the year. This is not to say they’ve turned into the Grinch, it’s just that when the extra pressure (perceived or otherwise) of the festive season hits, and the expectations for ‘being merry’ are there, it can magnify exhaustion and a sense of isolation.
Making a deliberate choice to nurture yourself this holiday season is the perfect to avoid burnout and revive your Christmas spirit.
Here are some simple things you can avoid and some healthy habits you can nurture to avoid festive burnout:
