Here, mindset and marketing guru, Tara Best, Founder and Director of Tara Punter PR, shares her top tips to avoid overwhelm, burnout and festive fatigue on the run-up to a very different Christmas.
2020 has been the strangest year. We’ve faced lockdown restrictions, and had to adjust to a new way of living, and yet we somehow still find ourselves in the frosty winter season gearing up for the festivities ahead.
Yes, Christmas is around the corner and with that means the (slightly different than usual) planning, excitement and busyness that comes with preparing for the most magical time of the year.
You will have noticed how quickly the sunlight disappears when popping on your wellies to get the horses in, how chilly the breeze is against your cheeks when mucking out the yard, and this combined with the pressure of getting prepared for Christmas can be overwhelming – perhaps even more so than normal this year.
We have to find new ways to celebrate, spending time without loved ones, continue with normal day-to-day life, and, for some of us, continually find new ways to bring our businesses safely into 2021. All of this pressure can easily lead to festive burnout – and burnout is not the Christmas present you’re wishing for, right?
When I say burnout, I mean a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It can occur when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. Nobody needs this, especially when we want to enjoy the Christmas period with close family, a toasty fire and a delicious festive feast.
As women, it can often feel as though the burden is on us to juggle it all. To keep our businesses or work-life successful, maintain an active social life (prepare yourself for a second wave of Zoom requests!), purchase and wrap all the presents, plan a wonderful Christmas day, and of course, look after our horses and animals. When you add that to shorter, darker, colder days, it’s easy to feel engulfed in responsibility, pressure and, potentially, the winter blues.
So, while it may be the most wonderful time of the year, it’s vital to prioritise self-care and self-kindness during December and over the holidays; taking some time to rest, reset and do what you love to enable you to enjoy and welcome the New Year when it comes.
Prevention really is better than cure, so here’s my seven-step guide to help you avoid festive burnout:
Don’t be afraid to say no
Raise your hand if you’re a serial over-committer! But seriously, stop saying yes to everything that people ask for! You have to set boundaries and say no sometimes for your own sake.
Don’t want to go to that zoom party? Say no. Don’t want to watch hours of TV but instead want to go on a hack? Say no to the sofa. Do what makes you feel good, there are no ‘have-to-dos’ and sometimes saying no, even if it’s difficult or doesn’t come naturally, is the best thing you can do for your own well-being. It really is more than OK to say NO! Let it empower you.
Set office hours – and stick to them!
Studies show that you’ll actually be more productive if you set better boundaries with clients, and you’ll have plenty of time left for your passions and personal life (by which I mean horses). We have constant demands on us at work, especially in an ‘always on’ culture, so having some guilt-free fun is essential.
It’s totally ok to plan in an hour on your own every day to read a book, to take a long bath, a couple of hours out at the yard, or even to just do nothing. Be sure to put aside some time to do whatever it is that makes you feel happy, inspired and on top form. In turn, your clients, employer and family will benefit.
Schedule proper breaks and don’t forget to have fun
This isn’t just a break in your day, either. I’m talking about holidays, weekends away, all of it. If you don’t have these scheduled in, it can start to feel like work is a never-ending tunnel stretching out in front of you. Sometimes you just need a light at the end of that tunnel. Now more than ever!
If you love socialising with close friends or family, plan something with them which takes you totally away from work and allows you to really enjoy being present and having fun – all be it over zoom!
Look after your physical health
Keep yourself moving and eat nourishing foods even when you are at the yard – prepare a lunchbox the day before. This will help you feel mentally better, and you’ll be better at identifying when you need breaks because of your improved outlook.
I know a lot of us already feel being a horse owner is a form of physical exercise, but pair this with healthy foods and don’t be tempted to grab those pot noodles on the frostiest of days!
Balance draining tasks with inspiring tasks
Be honest, you know which tasks make you excited and which ones fill you with dread. Learn to alternate these and place them strategically in your day and your week to make sure you’re maximising your mental capacity.
Grab yourself a pretty journal, desk planner or to-do list and get those tasks written up before you start your working day. Starting your morning knowing the planning has been done already will energise you to get going.
Find your community
Nothing feels better than venting to someone who just gets it. If you need to get it off your chest, speak to your instructor, coach or mentor, find a business or livery yard bestie, or a friend or family member who understands your life or job. It really is so important to surround yourself with people who get what you do, motivate and inspire you but are also there when you need them.
These people are your cheerleaders too – they are there through thick and thin; tough times and the best times. Keep hold of them and be transparent with your thoughts, feelings and challenges, we are all human. And let’s be honest, when we spend much of our free time in winter covered in mud and ice caring for our four-legged friends and juggling daily life, sometimes we all need to let off some steam!
Make like Elsa
And ‘let it go’. There is so much pressure to strive for perfection, exacerbated by the photoshopped unreality of social media. It’s ok if the fridge isn’t fully stocked. If something feels like it’s too much, then let it go.
It’s no secret Christmas can be demanding, with expectations piled high. Don’t forget in all things, if you aren’t at your best, nothing you do will be at its best either. So, taking some ‘you’ time over the holidays is essential to making sure you’re at your peak once it’s time to start work again. Let go of anything which doesn’t fill you up. Sing it with me, let it goooooooo!
So there you are, my top tips to avoid festive burnout and have a wonderful winter. Remember to prioritise self-care and ‘you’ time, and have a very Merry Christmas.
See you next year!
Tara x
Missed Tara’s first Mindset article? Then you can find it in December’s issue of Everything Horse Magazine
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Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.