6 Tips on Avoiding the Pitfalls of Extra Free Time

This time of year, many of us have way more downtime than we're used to – which is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to feeling motivated. For some, having extra time means getting more done. For others, the gap in productivity can be a slippery slope toward laziness.

No matter how you spend your time, there's no reason to judge yourself or others. But it can be helpful to make sure that we're not, at the very least, doing any harm to our well-being. After all, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are a whirlwind that make it easy to fall into bad habits.

Here are six tips to help you avoid crashing into 2020.

1. Don't Be Afraid to Bah Hum-Budget

With Black Friday—and Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday—it’s not hard to spend more than we're comfortable with. We even tend to spend more on food and alcohol due to all the festivities. That's why, this time of year especially, it can be important to sit down and make a budget. It's a great way to stay on track – and not have unnecessary stress come January.

2. Don't Be Haunted by the Ghost of Sleep's Past

Our sleep schedules have already been disrupted due to Daylight Savings, so we might be working on a deficit already. Also, with eating more and increased alcohol intake, everything starts to shift. So, be extra careful that you are getting to bed at a reasonable hour – and try to stay consistent with when you wake up in the mornings.

3. Give Like Santa, Live Like His Reindeer

Santa's generous to others with his gift giving – and generous to himself with his milk and cookie taking. Meanwhile, the reindeer are getting some exercise while eating carrots.

That's not to say you shouldn't indulge around the holidays, but overindulging can be problematic. Much like budgeting money, it's important to "budget" our intake. Since it's most likely increasing, make sure that you are still moving as much as you used to – or even more to balance it out.

4. Unwrap the Present of Unplugging

Less time spent working can just mean more time spent on our phone. And the more time we spend there, the less time we spend accomplishing anything!

Also, the correlation between depression and increased social media use is undeniable, so be very careful with how you might be comparing yourself to others.

5. Keep Making Lists and Checking Them Twice

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to stick with your typical schedule as much as you can, from sleeping to working out to food choices and beyond. The more you deviate, the more you'll have to compensate for once January 1 inevitably arrives.

6. Merry Moderation and a Happier New Year!

If you can aim to do everything in moderation, you'll feel more in control, balanced, and healthy overall. Part of being moderate means that you might have to say no to some things, especially when it comes to taking on extra projects. Always remember: there's no need to make this even more of a stressful time by spreading yourself thin.

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