This post was sponsored by Android in partnership with the Forward Influence Network. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for tips to help you find balance during the holiday season, you’ve come to the right place! I have absolutely no idea how it’s already December, but I do know that I am counting the hours until our family staycation gets underway. It’s been a really busy year in our household with lots to be grateful for and celebrate, and I’m really looking forward to the 3 of us unplugging and spending quality time together without the distraction of our phones and tablets.
While I feel like we do a pretty good job of imposing limits on our daughter’s screen time each day, we’ve been using her tablet as a babysitter more than I’m comfortable with over the past month as we scramble to stay on top of all of our year-end deadlines. But she’s not the only one who’s spending too much time online. I feel like we all need a digital detox over the holidays so we can properly connect and spend time with each other, and I hope we can create and carry forward healthier digital habits in 2020.
Setting Goals for the Holidays
I know this is typically a time when people start thinking through their goals for the following year, but I recently heard a great tip I wanted to share.
The holidays are filled with a lot of expectations from family and friends and can leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted at a time we’re meant to be relaxing and creating memories with the ones we love most. So, before you dig into your 2020 plans, set some goals for what you want to accomplish over the holidays. Let go of what other people think you should be doing, and create a list of the things that will bring you joy and help you end the year feeling rested, filled with gratitude, and ready to tackle 2020 like a boss.⠀
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out from a busy year, and want to know how to find balance during the holiday season, I’m excited to team up with Android and Forward Influencer to share 6 tips I use to help me unplug so I can show up as my best possible self for my family without sacrificing my ability to relax, unwind, and recharge.
6 Tips to Find Balance During the Holiday Season
1. GET ORGANIZED
As a Type A mama, organization is my jam. I do not thrive under pressure, and I’ve learned the hard way that I need to be extra careful in planning ahead and staying on top of things during busy seasons if I want to show up for my family the way I’d like to. Leaving things until the last minute makes me anxious and irritable, and sucks all of the positive energy out of holidays and celebrations for me. To combat this, I start planning at least a month before vacations and holidays to ensure I have ample time to do all the things without feeling overwhelmed and stressed. It works beautifully and allows me to fully enjoy the season, which I love.
2. PRIORITIZE SLEEP
If you want to find balance during the holiday season, make sure you’re taking the time to slow down and catch up on your sleep. We live in a day and age when we’re encouraged to over-schedule ourselves and our children as much as possible, and balancing end-of-year work commitments, school celebrations, family get-togethers, and holiday preparations can make us feel more depleted than ever.
If this sounds like you, make sure you take advantage of the holiday break to catch up on your rest! With Android’s Digital Wellbeing smartphone tools, you can set a schedule so you get friendly reminders to switch off at night. It will also turn your phone screen gray, helping you adjust for bedtime. This is a great habit to get into over the holidays when things tend to slow down, and I encourage you to carry this forward in 2020 and make it one of your New Year’s resolutions!
3. MAKE A HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST
One of the most frustrating parts of the holiday season, in my opinion anyway, is that my family and I never do any of the fun things we originally set out to do. We go into the season with a million promises of how we’ll spend our days, and end up feeling disappointed we didn’t find the time once we return to reality. So this year I decided to do something different. I created a 2019 Holiday Bucket List that we’ve slowly been adding fun ideas to, and when school lets out for the break, my daughter and I have a date to take all of those ideas and add them to our calendar. We already have all of our holiday commitments recorded, which will allow us to balance everything nicely.
4. STAY ON TRACK WITH YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS GOALS
While I’m all for indulging during times of celebration, staying on track with your health and fitness goals over the holidays can go a long way in helping you feel good, both inside and out. I still enjoy wine and sugary treats, but balance that by eating clean 80% of the time and remaining committed to my workouts. This prevents me from feeling bloated and sluggish, keeps my stress and anxiety in check, and allows me to feel my best when interacting with family and friends.
5. SET DIGITAL LIMITS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY
One of my goals for the holidays is for all of us to spend less time on our phones and tablets so we can actually connect and make memories together. In the US, kids are receiving their first device at age 11 on average, and Android has introduced Digital Wellbeing and Family Link tools on your smartphones to help you and your family find a good balance with technology, allowing you to be more intentional with how you use your phones. As an Android user, I really love both of these tools!
Family Link allows you to manage the content and apps your child sees and engages with. For example, you can set it up such that your child can only watch G-rated movies, and you can approve or decline their app downloads as well. Family Link also allows you to set screen time limits and dictate a set bedtime, allowing time for your child to unplug and spend time with family and friends. Oh! And did I mention you can also use Family Link to grant your little one additional screen time for good behavior?! I love using this as a bargaining tool with my daughter – it’s a great incentive to get her to complete her chores and behave respectfully with family and friends during the holidays!
Android’s Digital Wellbeing tool can also help YOU manage your digital habits so you’re setting a good example for your kids and being more conscious of your online time. It helps you understand the time you spend using apps, how often you check your phone, and much more. I was shocked to see how much time I’m spending on my social media apps at night, and it has helped me set limits for myself so I stop mindlessly scrolling Instagram and prioritize sleep instead!
CLICK HERE to learn more about Android’s Family Link and Digital Wellbeing tools, or access them directly by going to the settings on your Android phone, and searching for ‘Digital Wellbeing and parental controls’.
6. LEARN TO SAY ‘NO’
My final tip for those who are trying to find balance during the holiday season is to remember that it’s okay to say ‘no’ to the things you either don’t have time for, or that cause you to feel stressed and anxious. This is YOUR holiday after all, and you get to spend it however – and with whomever – you choose.
If you’ve already got a full calendar of celebrations and get-togethers scheduled, rest assured there are ways to back out of commitments without sounding like a jerk. The trick is to do it quickly, to be honest, and not to dwell over your decision. Find ways to compromise, and don’t feel bad for putting your needs above others. The problem with guilt is that it eventually turns into resentment, and while it would be nice to have a never-ending supply of time to commit to every single thing that crosses our paths over the holidays, we must remember that we are only human. There are only 24 hours in each day, and while we don’t want to let people down, we need to focus on the stuff that matters most to us.
I hope these tips inspire you to find balance during the holiday season. Be sure to plan ahead, to be intentional with your time, to stay on track with your health and fitness goals, and to impose limits on digital time so you and your family can get the most out of your time together. Remember that this is YOUR holiday, and don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to the things you don’t have the time or mental energy for!
This post was sponsored by Android in partnership with the Forward Influence Network. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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