I love December! It evokes memories of advent calendars (they just had Christmassy pictures behind the doors when I was a kid!) Christmas lights in the shop windows and snuggling down in a warm cosy house with lots of nice things to eat and drink!
If you’re not careful however, it can also be the season of burnout! I’ve lost track of the number of Christmas dinners I’ve lost to a cold or get togethers I’ve avoided due to the flu and why? Because you’ve ragged yourself silly and clawed your way to the Christmas break only to collapse and get ill the minute you relax and stop working.
You need to think of yourself like a high-performance car; you have to look after a nice car and drive it carefully if you want it to last longer and stay in good condition! Yes, you can put your foot down every once in a while but it needs preventative maintenance, care and attention if you’re going to keep it in tip top condition!
Now I’m not suggesting you give yourself a wax and polish (unless that’s your thing!) but you do need to pace yourself as we approach the end of the year. It’s been a hall of a ride so far and people are running on empty so take your foot off the gas and coast towards the festive season if you want to enjoy it when you arrive!
Need some ideas? Try some of these for starters:
Find your favourite winter scarf and hat and head out for a fresh morning walk, maybe treat yourself to a take out coffee or hot chocolate whilst you’re out! (You could even take a nip of something cheeky in a hip flask to top up your brew on the way!!)
Get a blanket or quilt downstairs on a cold winter afternoon and put your favourite Christmas film on (Elf or the Grinch? You can keep your Die Hard arguments to yourself!)
Open the chocolates early! Who says Quality Street are just for Christmas?! Treat yourself and crack open a tin or two before the big day and then perhaps you won’t feel so sick from binging by the time Santa comes to visit!
I know it’s been difficult for us all this year but I sincerely and truly hope that whatever you do and whoever you do it with, you have a very merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!
Lots of Love
Phil @ Lantern x