We all know the drill—take one already-harried single parent, one with job, children, household and other responsibilities and toss them into the chaos of the holiday season. If things were stressed before, imagine the stress level and time management issues on hyper-speed. For a single parent, this time of year can be tough and eating poorly and letting our stress levels get out of control can really make things worse.
The diet piece can really be a challenge for me—I have much less time to slow down and prepare healthy meals so I am much more likely to grab something unhealthy while out and about. There are also all those chocolates and treats at work, friends’ house, and arriving in the daily mail. Alcohol and too much caffeine can be a health culprit for some ordinarily, so throw in the stress of the holidays and added social activity and this can be enough to send a maxed-out single parent into a health crisis.
Try to keep things in perspective and don’t put added pressure on yourself. We can only do what we can do. Some single parents get into trouble by comparing themselves to unreasonable expectations this time of year—trying to do it all and be it all and put on the ideal Martha Stewart holiday—all while running on less sleep, a poor diet, and more stress. These expectations can be murder!
Try to trim things down to the necessities and throw in some activities that you truly enjoy. I know that as a single parent I cannot do EXACTLY what I want to during the holiday season, there has to be some compromise. I do try, however, to reward myself with some things that give me pleasure to keep my spirits up and my health in tact– Lunch with a friend, a movie of my choice, a quiet Sunday with movies and cocoa. I find it is also important for me to keep up the exercise—especially when I’m feeling stressed and stretched. A good brisk walk (even if it is cold and rainy) seems to do a lot for my state of mind and my ability to handle the stressors of the season.
Also: We Are Entitled to Do Some Things Alone
Single Parent Holiday Tip–Break it Into Do-able Chunks
Holiday Visitors and the Single Parent Family