The holidays are almost here! The excitement is in the air and the flurry of activities will start any day now.

The holiday season always brings a busy time for everyone, but it can feel especially chaotic for sports parents. Between regularly scheduled practices and classes, school holiday activities, work holiday parties, the end of the school year and friends and family gatherings, it quickly goes from busy to chaotic.

Here are three tips for managing the holiday rush this season to help make it more enjoyable:

Get ahead where you can

Start planning out your calendar in advance. Add all the practices, classes and holiday functions on your calendar now so you can see where your busiest days will be, and you can plan ahead. Start some of your holiday shopping now, either online or in person before the holiday shopping rush kicks off.

For busy weeks, consider leveraging prepared meals from your local grocery store or other restaurants to take some of the work off your plate in the dinner department.

Don’t be afraid to say no

Your calendar will fill up quickly, but just because you have a lot of events to attend, it doesn’t mean you have to RSVP ‘Yes’ to every single one.

Set a limit on the number of holiday parties you attend this year or even the number of events you have going on during the weekends. Prioritize time and events that will bring you the most joy, and prioritize your existing commitments over new obligations.

If you’re dreading a holiday party, that’s probably a sign to say no and skip it in favor of some down time or other activity you enjoy more.

Set time aside for yourself

The same way you build your calendar out in advance, build some self-care time into your schedule. Time for yourself is essential in order to feel balanced and ready to partake in everything the holiday season entails.

Take a mental health day for a quiet moment at home, or pick a family activity for everyone to do together as a way to unwind. Your future self will thank you later when you’ve built in some scheduled quiet or fun days in advance.

Want to explore some fitness classes as a way to unwind and take time for yourself? Try a free Kickboxing or Jiu Jitsu class at one of our nine Easton Training Center locations!