Self Care When Your Student is Home for the Holidays

Is your college student coming home for the holidays? Or maybe you’re looking forward to more free time with your high schooler because they won’t have sports and projects due. Having a chance to catch up on quality time during the holidays is good for the soul.

However, after the fourth day of them sleeping in until 1 pm and a whole Netflix series has been binge-watched, you find yourself asking them, “Is there something more productive you can do?”

Winter break is a great time to rest and recharge. Self-care is so important but self-care isn’t just about exercise, eating right, and  getting enough sleep… even though yes, it is those things as well. Self care also includes goal setting, planning ahead and prioritizing. I don’t know about you but feeling anxious, behind and overwhelmed definitely DOESN’T improve my mental state. Thinking about upcoming goals early is a great way to cut back on procrastination and avoidance which ALWAYS leads to a lot of stress.

So let’s carry self care into the next semester by helping our student use time during the holiday break more efficiently. Here are some ideas for getting the ball rolling so students can feel prepared before the semester even begins: 

• New year goal setting – this isn’t just about school! Let’s face it, academic goals are important but focusing on all areas will help your student create a complete picture for the semester ahead. Having a big sports goal will affect planning for school so map all the goals out. 

PRO TIP #1: Encourage them to create a visual reminder or inspiration for their upcoming semester. Get all the visually appealing supplies like their favorite magazines, markers, and craft supplies and create a vision board. And no, this isn’t just for younger students. I created vision boards in my 30’s! They’re a great way to get excited and remind yourself what you should be focusing on.

PRO TIP #2: Pick out a planner online during break so they have it before the semester starts. Go on Etsy and find a visually appealing one that works better with neurodivergent brains. Check these options out (Just click on them):

• Customized bullet journal
• The Rocketbook
• This Hourly Planner

These couple steps will help make goal setting ahead of time more fun. Remember, neurodivergent brains LOVE novelty which is why color and visual appeal can be so effect for students that have ADHD or executive functioning challenges.

Lastly, don’t forget these quickstart options over break too. Even just getting the conversation started with your student will put them a step ahead. Talk about things like:

• College prep, applications and course selections
• Internships
• Apprenticeships
• ACT/SAT prep 
• Job search for summer or winter/spring

As students use some of their holiday breaks to plan they can keep working with their coaches and parents on other self-care to help avoid burnout later on. Setting routines for exercise, sleep, and hobbies is much easier to start over break rather than in the thick of school activities. Have a relaxing AND productive break with your students this season and hears to a successful year ahead!