The 12 Tips of Christmas - Stay Pain-Free Over the Holidays!

1.  If you have one of those lovely farmhouse apron sinks, chances are that your back hurts after doing dishes – especially if you are on the tall side.  While these sinks are beautiful and stylish, the extra depth means that you have to bend over more to wash the dishes. Try inverting a pan or dishpan and placing another dishpan on top.  This raises the floor of the sink up to a more comfortable level.

2.  Watch your work surface for wrapping gifts.  Squirrelling yourself away to wrap gifts in secret is part of the fun of the holidays, but sometimes this means wrapping gifts on the floor or on another non-ergonomically sound surface.  Try to do your wrapping on a higher countertop where you do not have to bend over or reach excessively.

3.  “God forbid I make two trips” is not a good strategy for unloading the car!  Try not to overload yourself – the extra trips are probably safer (no tripping because you can’t see your footing, more tolerable because 2 lighter loads are better than 1 heavy one) and will help you feel less tired at the end of the day. 

4.  Put 1 foot up on something when standing for long periods of time – like cooking!  Old-fangled technology still works!  Way back when, drinking establishments put a brass rail near the floor at the bar so you could stand more comfortably and for longer periods of time and therefore buy more beer!  I love 18th Century technology that still works!  For working at the sink, open the lower cupboard door and put one foot on the shelf.  If at a counter, put 1 foot up on a stepstool or yoga block.  This helps keep your back from going into an excessive sway.

5.  Take some time for self-care:  go for a walk, park a little farther from your shopping destination so you can walk a little more, take the stairs (probably healthier than riding in a  crowded elevator!), take some deep breaths.

6.  Speaking about deep breaths, try “box breathing” , a technique that helps rid anxiety and calm your nervous system.  You can do it anywhere, anytime.

7.  Make a healthy, comforting dinner dish.  Even better, make a big batch on a day off so you have plenty for another night.  My favorite is farro risotto with roasted butternut squash. 

8.  If you are not happy with existing holiday rituals, create a new one!  Many years ago, my then-boyfriend-now-husband and I decided that we did not want to spend a rare day off work driving all over the Bay Area to see family we had just seen for Thanksgiving, and then spend the day indoors with the focus on presents and food.  So, every Christmas day since 1982, we have started the day opening a few gifts (saving many for later) donning our hiking apparel and set off for a full day hike at Point Reyes National Seashore.  Pot luck lunch with friends and family and a big pot of cioppino waiting back home.

9.  De-stress by giving less stuff and more love!  The gift of experiences (making cookies together, movie night, a do-it-yourself wine tasting at home, making a new meal experience together – Fondue Anyone?!) can be far more rewarding than stuff that ends up in the landfill.

10.  Allow yourself to say “no” – no to an extra event, no to having to make an elaborate meal, no to cooking (get a prepared meal from a local restaurant or grocery store), NO TO HEELS!  And also let yourself say YES!  Yes to self-care, yes to taking care of yourself!

11.  Reach out to say hello.  While it is really nice to receive a gift from a business associate or friend, it is extra nice to hear from them personally.  I got a holiday card yesterday with this quote from Mother Theresa handwritten inside:  “it is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”  I am always so touched to get a phone message or note, or to be able to Zoom with a friend and connect personally.  If I have a long-ish drive ahead of me, I try to set up a phone call where we have lots of time to chat and catch up – it is like found time, spent in the best way.

12.  I say this to clients all year long, but it is really important to remember this during the holidays:  taking care of your body is like managing a bank account.  When you exercise, get onto your roller, get some sleep, eat well, basically take good care of yourself, you are putting money into your account.  When you exercise less, sleep poorly, eat more junk, are more stressed, working more, sitting or driving more, spending time in awkward postures (putting the holiday bicycle together or bending over icing gingerbread cookies) – all of those things are like big debits to your account.  The end result is that you feel spent, like your physical account is overdrawn, because it IS.  Keeping some semblance of balance physically and emotionally is the key to happier holidays.

Happy Holidays from my family and staff to you!