By Andrea De Bartolo
With this year finally coming to an end, December seems to need a little extra TLC. Like everything in 2020, this winter break will be different than past years. Rather than students coming back home for the holidays, they will be coming out of their rooms and enjoying time away from their screens. Students have reported high burnout and continuous stress this past year, so the news of an extended winter break from most schools has given hope to students. Using tips and tricks from the mental health field and being guided by “the three ghosts’ of 2020”, students can revitalize and recharge before stepping into 2021.
Reflect on The Past
We have all grown! It is hard to look back at this year with everything that has occurred globally, nationally, and individually. It may not be necessary to relive the past 12 months, and bring up every negative emotion; yet it can be helpful to think back to all of the obstacles you have overcome. Try writing out each instance of how far you have come this past year. This task is a wonderful way to remind yourself of your strength. You are still here, fighting every day to make tomorrow better. Writing down how far you have come, the new people you have met, and happy memories can be encouraging. Visually noticing all of your progress brings light to the power that you hold. Although tears may have flown and tragedy may have struck in 2020, you are still here! If this is a hard task to endure, you can try to write out all the lessons and skills you have learned over these months. Each year is filled with new lessons and naming the skills you have learned throughout the year can remind yourself of helpful tools you have mastered. Gathering your thoughts about what happened this past year helps to process any grief and sadness we may feel. Use this winter break to understand what this year was about and how much you have grown.
Address The Present
It has been a fast-paced few month for students with overwhelming assignments and barely making it to the next due date. This constant worry for the future and hyper-focus on past grades calls for some time to be in the present. A break from school and work is a perfect time to reconnect with family and friends. Maintaining connection through experiences is a great way to enjoy the present. There are some simple activities that can bring people together this winter break. Skating, taking walks with friends and family and breathing in fresh air clears the mind after being inside all day. You can order in food from your favourite restaurant and watching a movie to enjoy “dinner and a movie” while staying safe. Going back to our childhood roots, playing board games, video games, or baking treats with your family can be a nice way to connect and pass the time. Even beyond external connection, reconnecting with yourself is important during this break. Taking a crucial tip from our last blog: Winter Is Coming: 7 Self-Care Tips To Practice This Winter Season, being mindful of our present experiences and feelings can bring us close to ourselves. We are the foundation of our life, and when we are mental healthy, the life around us seems brighter. Use this extended winter break to enjoy the present and reconnect with those who you have not had enough time for in recent months.
Look into the future
Plan! Making a schedule or to-do list for school is proven to help keep organized and decrease stress. A planner is to help you, so work with yourself when making future plans. If you know you need a day exclusive for self-care or that it takes you 3 hours to do an assignment, make sure you plan for that! An unrealistic schedule will only cause discouragement and distress when those expectations are not met. When you plan for the week and/or month in advance, you record the allotted time that tasks are going to take. This frees up your mind to work on the projects rather than stressing about losing track of time.
Planning is not just for assignments. Looking back at the year, we realize the things we struggled with and things that may be a continuous challenge in the new year. It is crucial to ensure that there is a plan in place to deal with these issues in the future. Support networks that include your therapist, your family and friends, and other supportive communities will help painful times and stressful situations be concurred in company. Additionally, as in the beginning of this blog, planning time for yourself will provide peace and regeneration on a daily basis. Having a go-to plan that is organized in a wise-mind state for crisis situations is important to in order to act healthy and safely during these instances.
Accepting the ghosts’ of 2020 past, present and future, we can use this winter break to improve our mental health. Most importantly, keep safe, keep warm, and we will see you in the new year! Should you need support during these times, you can call helplines, such as Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310. If there is a crisis situation, please call 911.
Image
Bunkens, F. (2016). Snowscape . UnSplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/R5SrmZPoO40.