7 Ways To Protect Your Energy This Festive Season

December is here and I’ve become accustomed to the shorter days and longer nights. My daily routine now includes burning candles, lighting my fire and more warm soups for dinner. Most of my other daily rituals appear the same on the surface. But at closer look, I have adjusted them to match my energy. This is something I naturally do every winter.

It’s subtle changes, small things, but there are intentional changes that I start to make.

My morning yoga practice is a little shorter and so are my dog walks……….

I spend more time alone – time in solitude allows me to become more introspective. I think its a bit like hibernation, time to slow down, rest and recover from the rest of the year.

More warm soups than salads.

I keep my To Do List short, maybe only 3 important things that I intend to do that day. This helps me avoid feeling stressed seeing all the tasks that remain undone at the end of each day.

These small things signal to my body that its ok to take things a little slower. Sure there is still work to be done but if I’m going to make it to Christmas without getting burnt out then I know I need to plan very carefully.

I’m not talking about planning more, rather planning less! This doesn’t have to mean missing out and turning down all social events but it means prioritising what’s most important .

  • Change your daily yoga routine to fit your needs. How are your energy levels? In my experience its never beneficial to force yourself to do high intensity yoga when your energy needs replenishing. Listen to your body and maybe swap a vinyasa flow for a yin or restorative practice until your energy is back.
  • Physically get on your mat EVERY SINGLE DAY! Its better to make it to the mat for 5 minutes in child pose, than skip altogether. Always making to your mat reinforces the message that you can do it and some days your practice will be longer and more dynamic than others. But you will feel the benefits of simply making it to your mat.
  • Make the effort to turn the lights down and light the candles in the darker evenings. This helps combat the effect of bright light that can disrupt sleep.
  • Make small changes your diet, swap out some salads for soups. Increase vitamin C intake and remember Vitamin D in every month without and R in it!
  • Continue to get outside and if possible in nature every day, it helps buffer our immune system being in nature.
  • When planning work schedules, plan less over a longer period of time during the months when you expect there to be extra demands on your time and energy. Be realistic and plan for possible disruptions. There is nothing more stressful than planning for maximum achievement only to feel like you’ve failed when the task isn’t completed on schedule. Plan less and you will complete tasks and feel like you are in control rather than feeling overwhelmed and that the work is controlling you.
  • Develop a gratitude practice that is meaningful to you. Studies have shown a regular gratitude practice increases happiness and when we are happy we feel energised.