Self-Care for Shop Owners through the Holiday Season

It’s the busiest season of the year, and you’re… well… busy (to say the least). Self-care over the holiday season may seem like a luxury, but it’s not. 

I know firsthand that as a product-based business owner, if you don’t take care of yourself you won’t be able to keep up with your work or the most important things in your life - your family, friends, and yourself. 

When you’re working long hours, it’s easy to neglect yourself, but taking time out for self-care is essential to maintaining your mental health. 

You have so much on your plate, now and through the holiday season. So I’ve compiled some self-care tips for those who have limited time to relax - aka, shop owners like you!

How to Make a Self-Care Plan for the Holiday Season

Let’s first note: prioritizing self-care isn’t a reward, it’s a prerequisite for great work and a balanced life. It helps us stay focused on our goals, maintain healthy and thriving relationships with others and with ourselves, and keeps our stress levels in check. 

Conduct a Pre-Holiday Check-In

Before the rush hits, check in now to understand how you’re feeling, what your mental health needs are currently, and ideate ways you can support yourself to maintain a healthy mindset through the coming months. 

Determine Self-Care Goals Now

What are your goals when it comes to taking care of yourself, your mental health, and your physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing? How do you want to feel through the holidays? What are your priorities? What do you want to make time for?

Map Out “Black Out” Dates

Go ahead and mark off the days on your calendar when you need to be absolutely offline and present in your life, with your family and friends. 

Map Out “On” Dates

On the flip side, map out the days when you absolutely NEED to be online and present for your business. 

Make a Plan for the In-Between Days

The days that are not black out or ON days need to have a structure for when you will be present for your business and when you will be present for your family, yourself, and your life. 

Create Routines Now that Support Your Goals 

Map out what the structure of those routines should look like, being sure to incorporate the practices you identified during your “Goals” phase of planning. 

Do a Support System Check-In and Briefing

Check-in with family members and ensure your dates are on their calendars. Make sure your family knows exactly when you’ll be fully present, fully online, and what your routine will look like for the in-between.

Ways to Practice Self-Care During the Holidays and Every Day

A self-care preparation plan is only as good as the self-care strategies you practice! We can make time for self-care all day, but if you don’t follow through with actually utilizing the time you’ve blocked off, it will all be for nothing. 

Here are some tips and tools for practicing self-care during the holidays (and, well, every day!):

• Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is linked to increased stress and anxiety. I know it’s tough, but try to get at least 7 hours a night. 
• Move your body. Elle from Legally Blonde says it best, “Exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy, and happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.” You don’t have to push yourself to reach a PR, but you can absolutely make time for some movement - a walk, yoga, stretching, or just being outside if the weather is nice!
• Create daily routines that support your health and priorities. Create a morning flow, an afternoon check-in routine, and an evening wind-down routine. A morning routine will help you set the tone for the day and connect with your priorities; an afternoon routine will help serve as a reset for that tone and your priorities; and an evening routine will serve as a ritual that helps you close out the day and clear out your mind as you ready for peaceful sleep!
• Incorporate tech-minimal times. Map out times when you will give your mind breaks from technology - no phone, no laptop, no tv! Take a tech-free walk and enjoy the fresh air!
• Read a good fiction book. I love Goodreads, and they put together a great list of relaxing fiction books you can get lost in this holiday season.
• Take breaks from work. Taking breaks is an effective way to reduce stress and improve productivity. It also gives your brain time to recharge, reset, and flourish with new ideas. 
• List out your accomplishments. Don’t forget to celebrate those small wins! It can take a toll on our minds when we keep working and pushing to accomplish more, more, more because we never think we’ve done enough. Honestly, we also forget just how much we’ve done. Keep a list each day and track all your tiny and large accomplishments!

Now you’re ready for the holiday season! Make sure your website is ready, too, with my free download, the Website Updates for the Holidays Checklist. Download this checklist to make all the necessary updates or changes so that your website is running smoothly for the holiday season.