We are headed into the busiest time of the year. The holiday season tends to be non-stop for most families. School concerts, extra rehearsals, parties, and family gatherings are all fun- but all that festive fun makes for even fuller schedules!
At Mellado Dance Elite, we understand that dance is one part of your family’s life. In addition to dance classes, your family is balancing academics, work schedules, social events, and other extracurriculars. We thought this would be a great time to give our studio families some helpful strategies to balance your busy schedules and minimize your stress.
Our dancers are at their best when they are well rested. Extra stress isn’t good for anyone! Here are some ideas for making this holiday season as stress free as possible:
- Keep the WHOLE family in the loop. A shared calendar can help everyone to feel prepared and in the know. Put up a large calendar in your home where everyone can see it and contribute. For tech savvy families, we LOVE Google calendar!
- Weekly family meetings. Take a few minutes on Sunday to chat about the week ahead. When do you need to carpool? Does anyone need anything special for school? What will you eat all week. Surprises mid-week make everyone feel more stressed.
- Practice saying no. The holiday season brings lots of invitations, obligations, and extra activities. Sometimes your family (and sanity!) have to come first. Pick and choose where you want to spend your time.
- Schedule time for doing nothing. Block out hours of time (or days!) where you are not going to commit to an activity. Knowing that you have time set aside can be a great motivator to push through a busy week.
- Have healthy snacks on hand. If you know your family is going to be spending lots of time in the car going from one activity to the next, stock up your car with healthy options. It is hard to stay positive when you are hungry:)
- Embrace convenience! Consider taking advantage of services and products that make your life easier. Have your groceries delivered. Use a meal planning service. Pick up a 5-pack of gift cards for teacher gifts. Shop online. Small changes to how you do things may make a big impact!
- Find outlets for your stress. Dance is our favorite stress reliever! Keep up with the activities in your life that fill you up and force you to be in the moment. Dance classes, yoga, running, and cross training are all great options.
- Help you “future self”. What could you do today that will set you up for success tomorrow? Make lunches and set out clothes the night before. Do the dishes before you go to bed. Working ahead isn’t always fun, but it always feels AWESOME the next day!
Did we get your wheels turning? Any strategies that you could incorporate into your daily life? Planning and being a little proactive can go a long way in avoiding stress, even as extra activities get thrown your way!
One of the most rewarding aspects of what we do at Mellado Dance Elite, is getting to know and support our studio families. We greatly appreciate all our families do to support their dancers (and their busy schedules!) and help them to reach their potential.
