Keep Your Calm (and Your Healthy Habits): How to Protect Your Health Routine This Season

“Let me check my calendar.”
Me — about three times a day.

Then there’s: “Let me see what bills are coming out over the next two months and what my income might be.” That’s me again, staring at my budgeting app (and yes, I’m using the word budget loosely when it comes to holiday spending and end-of-year expenses).

Trying to fit in doctor and dentist appointments, a car service, and two part-time jobs — one with a schedule that changes every week — feels a lot like playing a round of Tetris. You know, that classic game where oddly shaped blocks drop faster and faster, and you’re just trying to make them fit before everything piles up. That’s my November and December energy.

Here’s the thing: I don’t feel pressured to spend a lot during the holidays. What I really enjoy is reaching out to people — from November through the New Year — to let them know I’m thinking of them. I still write cards. Yes, I’m that person. Gone are the days of sending forty at a time, but I still enjoy carving out time to do this during the holidays.

We have a friend in Columbus who sends the most incredible handmade cards — funny, creative, and full of heart. I have one sitting beside me right now. Her thoughtfulness inspires me. While I may not be a creative-card genius, I do love the ritual of sending them. And I even let the tradition spill into the first week of January (side note: New Year’s cards are surprisingly hard to find!).

And here we are again — early November — and I can already see the signs. My calendar is filling up, the to-do list is multiplying, and that warning light is starting to blink: don’t forget to take care of yourself.

By mid-November, it’s easy to feel like the holidays are steering the ship instead of the other way around. According to the American Heart Association (2023), nearly eight in ten adults (79%) admit they overlook their own health needs during the holidays. Most say they struggle to prioritize healthy eating (69%), exercise (64%), and sleep (56%) — the very things that help us stay balanced and energized when life gets busy.

👉 Source: American Heart Association Newsroom – “79% of survey respondents overlook their health needs during the holidays” (Dec 18, 2023)

Let’s be honest: even when it’s not the holidays, it’s hard to schedule full workouts, perfectly prepped meals, or a solid eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. In reality, it’s the small, intentional choices that make the biggest difference.

One simple way to look out for yourself and make sure you take care of you? Write it down. Whether it’s a sticky note on the fridge, a reminder on your phone, or a note on your calendar that says “Take a breath break at 2 p.m.,” having a visible cue makes it far more likely to happen. Treat these moments like gentle appointments with yourself. You don’t have to do everything, but doing something on purpose helps you stay grounded and steady.

Here are a few ways to gently protect your health and energy this season — and a few of mine mixed in for good measure:

🌙 Simple Ways to Protect Your Health Through the Holidays

• Move in small moments. I do this often. On the two days each week when I have a three-hour round-trip commute, I come home, change into comfy clothes, grab my dumbbells for a quick 10-minute mini-workout — then turn on some music and dance for five minutes. It’s a reset for both my body and my mood.

• Keep a “non-negotiable” habit. Choose one physical anchor (like your morning stretch, evening walk, or strength session) and protect it like an appointment.

• Simplify healthy eating. I wish I meal-prepped like a champ every week, but I don’t. Instead, I keep a few freezer staples ready to go — like cooked chicken and veggies I can toss into a meal. A big container of lettuce greets me every time I open the fridge, so adding a salad is easy. Having simple toppers like walnuts, dried or fresh berries, and seeds makes it even easier to stay on track.

• Sip smart. Between the extra coffee, cocoa, or cocktails, balance it out with water. Hydration keeps your energy steady — it’s the simplest way to feel your best through the season.

• Take a few deep breaths. A few rounds of slow, deep breathing — or a short 10-minute guided meditation through an app or YouTube — can reset your nervous system and lower stress in minutes.

• Set a wind-down alarm. A soft alarm about 30 minutes before bedtime can serve as a cue to start easing out of the day. When it goes off, take a moment to acknowledge the transition — say something aloud like, “Time to slow things down,” or “I’m closing out the day.” Then add a round or two of deep, steady breaths, followed by a few whole-body or neck stretches to release any leftover tension. These small rituals tell your body that the pace is shifting, helping your mind and muscles prepare for rest.

• Practice the “digital dimmer.” After dinner, life can still be full — dishes, messages, one more email — so it’s not always realistic to cut screens completely. But try not to let your phone, tablet, or TV be the very last thing your eyes see. Once your must-dos are done, give your nervous system a gentle runway to land: watch your favorite show if you like, then shift the stimulus down. Play a simple game, listen to music, visualize a goal you’re working toward, or jot down three things you’re grateful for. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s simply guiding your mind and body toward rest instead of more input.

• Simplify your to-do list. When everything feels like too much, focus on one small step at a time. Grace, not perfection, keeps you moving forward.

• Give yourself permission to pause. It’s okay to skip a social event or say no to one more errand. Protecting your bandwidth is a form of self-care.

✨ The Power of Pausing

The holidays can pull us in a dozen directions, but slowing down doesn’t mean falling behind — it means showing up with more presence and energy for the things that truly matter. Pausing, even briefly, creates a ripple of calm that carries into everything else we do.

So, this season, take a breath. Move when you can, rest when you need to, and give yourself the gift of looking out for yourself — you deserve to thrive, not just get through.
And as the year winds down, join us in December as we focus on finishing strong — mind, body, and spirit.