7 Tips for Surviving Hell Week :: December 25th to January 1st
Welcome to hell week: the week between Christmas and New Years. This is one of the hardest weeks of the year. You don’t know if you’re coming or going. You don’t know what day of the week it is. Who knows when the last time you ate something with any nutritional value? We are almost out of the holiday season. Give yourself a break and go easy on yourself this week. Here are a few survival tips to get through this week.
Do not step on the scale
Just don’t do it. There’s no point. Seriously. Put it in the closet for the week. Start that health journey on January 2nd.
Hydrate
Drink the Liquid IV, the Emergen-C, the elderberry, whatever brilliant marketing item you need. Drink it. The prosecco and eggnog is flowing so keep that body hydrated.
Find the best undereye concealer
I look like the Hamburglar. The Mediterranean genes are hitting hard right now under my eyes. It’s to the point where I’m taking a page out of my great-aunt’s book and sporting the sunglasses indoors.
Do not look at the calendar
You’re going to be in a state of confusion for the next week. You will have no idea what day it is. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Just don’t make any yearly appointments you don’t want to miss.
Invest in a meal delivery account
When the left-overs have gone or your children are begging you to not feed them another piece of ham, whip out those delivery apps and make sure there is some sort of vegetable that isn’t in a casserole in there.
Lower your expectations
No, you aren’t going to get the home improvement projects done. You aren’t going to get the baseboards cleaned. As a friend once said: ” These days aren’t real so they don’t count as wasted days.” You’re welcome.
Practice utilizing the word “no”
As the lady who claims she doesn’t know the word “no,” I have finally decided to start flexing it. I officially have said no to two events this week. I am patting myself on the back while having a twinge of FOMO looking at Instagram. I wonder if all of my friends are on a perpetual Adderall drip, or if I just didn’t get the genes to keep on going. But, I finally said no to things and instead took long naps. I laid around in my pajamas and binged Victoria on Netflix. And I will be ready to go on January 2nd, 2026 to say yes to all things again.
