Now that the holiday season has arrived, it is important to take some time out to think about what you really want for yourself.
Get ready for 2012 by starting to think now about what you want and how you can get there. This could start with the end of this year – the festive period and all the stressful tasks that go along with it. This is always a difficult time with lots to do and think about.
The first thing you need is to get some help – many people, women in particular, end up doing 99% of the work and then feel frazzled while their families are having a good time! Letting others relax while you slave away is a quick way to start feeling resentful and stressed. Take a look at what you have to do and try to pace yourself! Take some time out, have a date with your partner, and ensure you feel cared for. It is likely to be busy at work and home with lots going on at your kid’s schools, so taking time to relax and care for yourself is vital.
We, as nurses, are trained to look after everyone else but it is crucial that we also care for ourselves as well as each other. If we all paid more attention to our colleagues and our own wellbeing, we would all survive the Christmas period much more effectively.
This time of year can be a challenge for a lot of us with more hours of darkness and colder nights and days, especially here in the UK. Take time to get outside and have some sunlight to boost your mood. Working “long days” or 12-hour shifts can reduce the opportunity but even if it is just 10 minutes a day, every little bit helps. Make sure on your days off that you do get some time outside and involve the whole family. This makes the winter “depression” and hibernation feelings less likely to overwhelm you. A good walk can really raise your mood and keeps your blood flowing!
Managing Your Responsibilities
Take some time to look at each of the activities you are trying to fit into your schedule and see if you actually have the time to do everything. I worked with someone recently who looked at her schedule and realized that she actually had 4 times as much work to do as she could fit in! No wonder she felt stressed and overwhelmed! If you free up an hour each week to look at all the tasks you have to do and how you might fit the tasks into your schedule, then you will begin to work out whether it is feasible.
Write a list of all the tasks and divide them up between the other household members – your children and partner, if you have them, can all help. We often wait for people to offer their help and think they
should know instinctively what we want them to do, but unless we tell them, we stand little chance of getting what we want.
You can also find ways to make each task just a bit simpler. For example, you do not need to cook elaborate meals each day to keep your visitors fed. Sometimes simple dishes are what they want. You can also ask visitors to contribute by bringing a food dish or drink, or helping to watch your children for a while so that you can have some “time off”.
If your festive season is usually frantic, ask yourself “What do I want instead?” and then take steps to make it happen for you and your loved ones!
About the Author: Claire Westwood is a nurse, coach, writer and founder of www.happynurses.co.uk. She is also the author of the new book 'The happy nurses Guide to Creating a Balanced Life – The 12-week coaching plan for busy nurses' which is a life coaching plan to help nurses to create life balance for themselves.
Click here to read more on Claire Westwood.
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