THE GAP WEEK:  WAITING FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE

Is that gap week between Christmas and New Year leaving you feeling lost?  Are some of you pretending to work or are you on the other side where you don’t have a single responsibility until after the new year?  Between the social posts I’ve seen about the topic as well as my own feelings of “I want my routine back” it’s clear that we’re not alone.

I’ve made little stop gaps to help fill that void (for me) – which I’ll share, but I’ve realized it’s not so much the gap week that’s giving off pajama day vibes that seem to never end.  It’s that end of year rush that for most is just gone on Boxing Day.  Poof!  And now what?

The lead up to the end of the year starts on Black Friday in my opinion.  That first shopping weekend kickstarts the whole frenzy.  Then, it’s gearing up to slow down.  You know, finishing off the big work projects so you can relax and enjoy family when the time comes.  Planning a vacation in there?  Well then let’s gear up so we can enjoy that too!

Let’s go!  School concerts, Christmas pageants, Santa Claus parades and the endless holiday parties.  Gift shopping, planning, and prepping your dinner menu along with décor and place settings for everyone.  I’m just giving headlines but listen, for many it starts off as a light jog with a feeling of “I got this” to slowly speeding up as the weeks go by because you know, life happens.  So, by the time Christmas Eve is upon us we’re sprinting to the finish line, and we’re exhausted.

Then, it’s all over and we now wait for New Year’s Eve wondering how we’re going to fill that time.  We went from an all-out sprint to a stroll overnight and we don’t know what to do with ourselves it seems.  In truth, we should enjoy the downtime because right after January 1^st the rollercoaster kicks off again.  You know this.

I’m a creature of habit and I thrive with routine.  I like my chaos organized and no, it’s not always the case but it can be if I can help it.  I absolutely do a couple of pj and couch days, and I enjoy it!  I’ll be honest though, it’s really starting to feel like my insides are pickled with the daily drink(s) but while that’s going on, I’ve made sure of a few things over the years:

MAKE TIME FOR JUST YOU

• You and you alone! Keep it simple too.  If self-care is stressful then you’re doing it wrong.  Sleep in, take a long hot bath, take yourself to lunch or to a movie, get your hair and/or nails done.  The list is endless but that silence after the hustle will do you some good.

HYDRATE

• With water yes! Between the bubbly, vino, hot chocolate (plus Baileys?), food, lunch and coffee dates with endless treats your body will be craving good ole plan aqua.  I won’t go into the benefits because we’re all adults here, but your body and mind will thank you.

MOVE

• A walk, a family hike, or a full grind. Movement is key and your body needs it.  Multiple days on the couch can’t be good – at least it’s not for me.  I shouldn’t generalize.  Some days it’s as low key as a good stretch session during this gap and my body thanks me for it when I get back to regular programming.

HEALTHY BALANCE

• I know what you’re thinking: “Shireen, we’re allowed to get off our healthy diets this time of the year.” Sure, you do you but for someone whose gut is triggered by too many things to list that leads to inflammation and then leads to poor sleep, you learn to at least minimize it.  I do this by getting my greens, taking my supplements, having at least one good healthy meal, drinking my water and minding my business 😊- all about balance!

ENJOY THE DOWN TIME

• Take a deep inhale and then exhale. Do it again and yet again.  Enjoy the break.  Spend time with your loved ones.  Play with your kids.  Read a book or a few books.     Spend time with your thoughts – yes that too.  It’s a good time to both reflect and look ahead and what better time to it when it’s quiet and less frantic?

If anything, live the gratitude that you made it another year.  Reflect on and celebrate all your wins and laugh at the lessons learnt along the way.  We’re almost there – back to the grind so until then, don’t mind the gap!