Why confine the happy holiday vibe to only that time of year?

Why confine the positive vibe of the holidays to just that time of the year?

We’ve been back at work a few weeks now, so how’s it going? After all the anticipation of the lead-up to the holidays, the fun had to end.

Assuming it was fun, of course. The holiday season isn’t always as joyous as popular media would have us believe, what with squabbles between the extended family, the pressure of cooking for everyone as well as finding the perfect yet affordable present and the stress of how to pay for gifts and cover the mortgage or rent.

The American Psychological Association even produced an online “holiday stress resource centre”, with advice on dealing with financial stress and the pressures of gift-giving, managing expectations and having difficult family conversations (tinyurl. com/NZLpsych).

But there’s also the stress of the end of the holidays, right? We’re well past the New Year resolution season, so now’s a good time to give yourself a reminder of what’s important.

What was it about the holiday that you most enjoyed? Odds are good that at least some of your answers relate to things that don’t just happen between December 24 and January 2, and that they’re something to remember and recreate year-round.

If you enjoyed spending time with family or friends, then make opportunities to carry that on beyond January. You won’t be alone in your post-holiday fug, so share how you’re feeling with significant others and give them a chance to share back. Self-disclosure is one of the backbones of close, strong relationships.

Was your highlight the break from work and the chance to unwind? You and me both. A good plan – and it’s not an easy one – is to use the break to kick-start a change for this year. Work out what made last year so busy and lay the foundations for avoiding it now.

One of my failings is saying yes to things that are months away but forgetting how busy I will be if I say yes to lots of them. This year, I’m going to keep a diary of commitments for each month, leaving a limited number of slots.

I’ll leave one of those monthly slots for anything really fun that comes up closer to the time. I realise this means I’ll have to say no to some things I’d probably love to do, but I know from last year’s experience that some things weren’t as much fun as they should have been because they were sandwiched between other commitments.

As well as trying to leave space in your life, make sure you use the space you have to do things that matter. Get into a routine of smelling the roses – take a half-hour lunchtime walk when the sun is shining and carry that on when the weather turns. Read with your children before bedtime, even though it may mean doing the dishes later.

Try to take a deep breath and let go of the small things. Miss out a couple of coffees, stubbies or cigarettes a week and put the money saved in a jar for next Christmas. If you do have the luxury of putting some money aside – remember that not everyone does – see if you can make a small difference to someone else’s life.

Get into a routine of smelling the roses – take a half-hour lunchtime walk when the sun is shining.