Here comes the holidays, “the most wonderful time of the year,” which often comes with mixed emotions for parents. While the happy celebrations, special traditions, and time spent with family might feel merry, the stress can sometimes be overwhelming. With so much pressure on moms in particular, it’s important for you to take a step back and remember to focus on yourself.

Hear from some of our favorite self-care gurus below as they share their top tips on how you can give yourself the gift of self-care this holiday season.

Take a Holiday from Social Media 

Cherith Fluker, Moms Meet Blog Ambassador and creator of the blog WhatCherithInks, uses her platform to encourage busy women to prioritize self-care by stepping away from social media.

She explains, “This is one of my favorite holiday self-care ideas. Instead of spending time on social media, take a break to be in the moment with your family. The holidays are a time to make memories with the ones you love. Take a break from social media so that you can love on your family and be fully involved in all of your family’s holiday traditions and activities.”

And this includes taking the pressure off of your hosting duties. “The holidays are also a good time to take a break from those Pinterest-perfect dinners. Don’t put added stress on yourself by trying to recreate the perfect recipes and decorations that you see on Pinterest.  Put forth your best effort. That’s sure to be enough to make your family happy.”

Read more self-care tips on Cherith’s blog here. You can also visit, WhatCherithInks, or find her on Instagram or Facebook. 

Schedule Time For Yourself Everyday

In one of our recent Raising Healthy Families podcast episodes, we heard from clinical psychologist, Dr. Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco about how you can navigate this time of year with less stress. She shared her tips on how moms can alleviate some of this pressure and have a healthier and more magical holiday season. 

“What I will typically do is I’ll ask moms to make a list of self care activities,” she says. “And by self care, I don’t necessarily mean what they often mean when they talk about it in the media like manicures and pedicures. It could mean that, but whatever it is for that particular mom that’s restorative and that helps her to feel like herself and brings her back to who she knows herself to be. 

So it could be manicures and pedicures, for some it could be exercising, for others reading, connecting with friends, and so on and so forth. So I’ll have my patients make a list of different self care activities. Then what I tell them to do is plan a routine the night before, to kind of set a schedule for themselves for the next day. They should look at their day and make sure to schedule in some time where they’re doing something from their list.”

Click here to listen to this episode or check out more episodes from our Raising Healthy Families podcast here.

Keep up with healthy habits 

At KIWI, health and wellness are always a priority. With great holiday recipes, gift ideas, and so much more, it’s a great resource for all things parenting. Social media manager, Eleanor King, recently shared her top tips on KIWI’s website that help her stay grounded during the hustle and bustle.

“Fitting in movement everyday that is unrelated to the holidays can give you a positive energy boost,” Eleanor explains. “Exercises such as yoga and walks around the block can be a metaphorical and literal breath of fresh air. These exercises don’t have to be time consuming or intense, as long as they are allowing you to feel your best. Plus, staying active can help burn off some of the holiday treats!”

“It might be tempting to stay up late wrapping gifts, preparing the next day’s meal, or chatting with any visiting relatives. Don’t let yourself fall into unhealthy sleeping habits during this time. Make sleep a priority. Aim to get between seven and eight hours each night. This will keep your immune system, and your spirits, bright and strong.”

Read more holiday self-care ideas from KIWI magazine here.