Blue Christmas isn’t just in a song, it’s real. A number of people feel the jitters during the holiday season and suffer the so-called post-vacation or post-holiday blues. Returning to a normal routine after a pleasant holiday have disheartening or discouraging effects on some folks stuck on vacation mode. Those who have the syndrome feel tired, de-motivated and drained to get back to school or work rather than feel rejuvenated.
So how should people deal with Christmas blues? The bad news is, there’s no single solution to the problem as different folks require different methods to get over the blues. The good news is, post-holiday blues generally wear out over time. But when it stays around longer than expected, we have here 10 possible answers to dealing with post Christmas blues.
10. Get Organized
De-cluttering can prevent a host of post Christmas woes we’ve mentioned in our previous article. It can literally help you sort out the urgent and the important to-dos in your life so you know which ones to prioritize. The earlier you cultivate an organized lifestyle, the better. We suggest you start organizing your schedule and activities now to make up for all the mess and chaos the past holiday, and to a clutter-free and blues-free Christmas come year-end 2017, and holidays thereafter.
Tip: Buy yourself a handy planner or small notebook for organizing your day, week, month, and eventually year.
9. Make Plans, Stay Versatile
Getting organized and planning ahead doesn’t mean sticking to a rigid, unbendable routine. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Perhaps the reason you got the holiday blues last year was because you were so focused on a stiff plan. Be open for changes and unexpected turns as much as you’d want to have things planned out. This means preparing for contingencies.
Tip: Leave “free” hours or days on your planner for spontaneous activities and trips.
8. Lower Your Expectations
Again, this is somewhat connected to #9. Go easy on yourself and others. Nobody’s perfect and will never be. It’s one thing to aim high and another to disallow shortcomings and punish yourself or others for it. Some days can be very productive and promising, some days not so much. Focus on the bigger picture, on the long-term, and be forgiving for small mishaps along the way.
Tip: Set S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-oriented) goals or expectations for you and everyone in your circle.
7. Find Time to Relax
Some people never get to enjoy the year-end holidays or any other occasion for the simple reason that they’re too pre-occupied with school or work the rest of the year. They forget to slow down and step back. They become so not used to going on a vacation they get disoriented during the first few weeks of January, or they deny themselves the needed break and continue working throughout the holidays.
Tip: Set non-negotiable time for relaxation and vacation throughout the year, even if it’s just a day or two. Practice going on vacation so you wouldn’t be culture-shocked during the two-week holidays in December.
6. Make Reasonable Resolutions
Here we go again – the curse of the New Year. Resolutions are so overrated and cliché, but we do them because they help us to set the course of our year and eventually our life. They help us evaluate how we lived our life the past year – if we’ve been productive or otherwise. It’s unfortunate if we don’t bother making new year’s resolutions and more so if we make unreasonable resolutions.
Tip: Again, go easy on yourself. List down achievable and relevant goals for the year.
5. Don’t Stop Socializing
For many of us, we can only go out and socialize during corporate Christmas parties and such events. Thanks to the holidays, we have time to go home and visit loved ones. However, socializing shouldn’t only happen during the holidays, but throughout the year.
Tip: Schedule date nights with your partner and barkada time with friends during day offs. Plan out-of-town trips with them.
4. Do/Learn Something New
One way to unstuck yourself from the rut is to learn a new skill or hobby. This will be a great diversion to your seemingly boring routine. Get inspired. Do or learn something new. Read a new book each month. Visit a new city or country. Cook with an unfamiliar ingredient. Whatever it is – new things, new places, new faces can help you beat those blues away.
3. Boost Your Happy Hormones
The body is said to produce the so-called happy hormones through exercise and diet. Exercising releases happy hormones serotonin and endorphins. Eating chocolate boosts your enthusiasm, while eating protein-rich foods keeps you mentally alert. Still, we recommend that you tackle the problem head on once you’re cool and ready to do so, and not just do exercise or other stuff to evade the issue.
Tip: Good diet and exercise not only releases happy hormones, it helps you become fit, which boosts your confidence and health.
2. Sort Out Your Finances
The biggest post-holiday blues we will ever face concern our finances. We may have spent so much during the holidays, and now we’re back to the sad reality of overdraft, credit card debts, and living paycheck-to-paycheck. But it’s another year, another chance at straightening our finances and our life. As we hope for the year to be better than the last, we couple that with concrete changes in our lifestyle and habit.
Tip: See how you can increase your income and/or reduce your expenses so you’ll have extra to pay off loans and debts.
1. Evaluate the Past Year with Gratitude
A grateful attitude is sometimes all we need to see through the darkest days. Count your blessings and be thankful in all circumstances because there’s always a reason to be thankful amidst the problems we face. Keeping a positive outlook and a grateful attitude often helps you find solutions, but panicking and worrying often make matters worse.
Tip: For every bad thing, counter it by naming a blessing. The past year can’t be that bad so as to prevent you from living and enjoying the new year.
Are you feeling down and low now that the holidays are over? If so, we hope this list can help you deal with your post-Christmas blues. It’s a brand new year, a brand new beginning for all of us. Let your new set of 365 days count! Happy New Year one and all!!!
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