Every year in November I hope to approach the Christmas functions differently to keep my social battery alive and my health and wellbeing intact. As the Christmas season is fast approaching, take a moment to plan on how you want to approach all the work do’s, and friends and family catch ups so you don’t burn yourself out by Christmas and can enjoy your summer holiday.
We all have different social battery capacity; for some the endless social events are energising and for others they are stressful and exhausting. Be aware of how many nights out affect your social battery and actively put coping strategies in place to replenish your energy so you can enjoy the last weeks of the year. Be comfortable to say "No" when you need a break, or, alternatively make the choice to pop in for an hour to say hi and go home early to rest and re-energise.
While heading out to all the Christmas functions there are several ways you can support your social battery in staying strong such as choosing foods that will nourish and fuel you before you head out so you don’t rely on the party nibbles to keep you going. We are lucky there are so many no-alcohol drink options available in the restaurants and bars. Choose these so you don’t feel you are missing out with the added benefit of feeling good in the morning, no anxiety from conversations you had had the night before, and you likely have had a great night’s sleep. It would be great to see ‘in office’ work functions make these available alongside alcohol to support those who prefer not to drink.
When you are tired, stressed, and life is hectic it is really important that you are still getting exercise and also ensuring you get a good amount of sleep. It doesn’t need to be an hour at the gym or a long run, instead a walk in your lunch hour or walk to the function if close by rather than drive so you keep your emotional, physical and mental wellbeing intact. This will contribute to your social battery survival throughout November and December.
Quick tips to social battery survival:
Eat to nourish and fuel with balanced meals made mostly from whole foods.
Consider the no-alcohol options when selecting a drink.
Set boundaries that are right for you – its okay to say "No" if you are exhausted.
Pop in just for an hour then go home to rest.
Try and get 7-9 hours sleep at least 4-5 times a week.
Keep some form of exercise going even just a 15 minute walk in your lunch break.
Schedule social battery recovery time into your week – plan ahead.
Be present and aware of how you are feeling and recognise when you need to rest before your social battery completely runs out – catch it early so you can thrive rather than survive through to Christmas.
