Avoiding Holiday Burnout
What helps
With the holidays coming up, you might be really looking forward to time spent with family and friends. You might be dreading it. If you’re anything like me, probably a bit of both.
I love spending time with my family and close friends. One of my best friends is very much into the holidays, so she gets very excited about getting everyone together and hosting dinners.
These are my close friends (who are few) with whom I feel very comfortable and am able to be myself, so it’s much more relaxing and enjoyable to celebrate with them.
That said, something can be both very enjoyable yet still exhausting, and that is the case for all the visiting and socializing during the holidays.
If you’ve ever found yourself completely run-down, exhausted, and totally burnt-out after the holidays, you’re definitely not alone.
This is more common for neurodivergent people—(Something I explain in greater detail in my article in Invisible Illness, Autistic and ADHD Burnout), but it can affect anyone.
What works for me won’t work for everyone, but I will share some strategies I’ve learned in the hopes you might find them helpful.
Happy Holidays!
Schedule downtime
Schedule it in, otherwise, it may not happen. Make it a priority. Say no upon occasion, when you notice your list of commitments starting to grow, or when you just don’t feel like doing the thing.
Calming activities
Keep a reserve of calming activities. When you’re feeling upset or burnt out, it can be harder to think of things you enjoy doing, and things that help reduce your stress. It helps to have a box or shelf with some fidgets, sensory items, books, or whatever you prefer.
My favourite is reading, always reading. I also enjoy doing puzzles, painting and going for walks.
Find your stim
Find the stim that works for you. For me, it’s really loud music that takes over my whole nervous system. I also find tapping really calming. I tap on my shoulder or the inside of my wrists, or I tap each of my fingers to my thumb in succession.
Sometimes I shake my hands out or twirl my hair. I also do “cricket feet” where I rub my feet together. Some people like to flap their hands, jump, run, rock, twirl… whatever works for you, give it a go!
Read my full article at here.
Happy Holidays!
(c) Jillian Enright, ADHD 2e MB
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