I have seen symptoms of ‘Endofyearitis’ all around me. People are crankier, anxious, snappy and tired! It always strikes at this time of year and there has not yet been a vaccine developed for prevention. It is frightening but there is no need for panic as it’s not life threatening, is short-lived, and eventually symptoms cease … until next time. Sadly, if you’ve had it once, you are prone to getting it again and again.
Here are some of the causes of ‘Endofyearitis’:
- A sudden ramping up of the thermostat so that we are suddenly thrust from winter through a brief tease of spring then catapulted swiftly into full-on sweltering hot humid days that will go on now until at least late April 2015. I kid you not!
- The realization that Christmas is upon us, and that we must become super human organized freaks of nature whilst melting from the heat and humidity and spend lots of money whilst we are at it!
- Often end of year birthdays are added to the mix and can cause a particularly bad case of ‘Endofyearitis’.
- If you have teenagers or university students there are exams and the narkiness that often comes along with them!
- If you’re lucky enough to have a Year 12 school leaver than you’re likely to have ‘schoolies’ to survive through.
- Also thrown in are the various Christmas party invites, end of school year obligations, and lastly ….
- for those with kids still at school, the knowledge that your children will be home with you on school holidays for at least 6 weeks!
… and there you have it – a good case of ‘Endofyearitis’. It’s nasty!
What can we do to treat ‘Endofyearitis’?
Review, Cull (Do) & Plan
1. Aircon and pools are your friends!! If you have neither – gravitate towards places where you will find them!
2. Say no to any parties you would only go to to please other people.
3. Simplify end of year birthday celebrations. Order in the birthday person’s favourite take away. Go out to dinner! Buy a cake! Whatever makes life easier!
4. Communicate with family members to consider options/solutions to minimize gift-buying expenses.
5. Share the load amongst family on Christmas Day!
6. Make a list of people you need to buy for and write gift options for each before you head off to shop (better yet – know exactly what you intend to buy them). Consider what you could order on-line in advance and when heading out to your shopping centre be sure to plan your outing to avoid any back tracking! The aim is to get in and out as quickly as possible! Oh and get there early so you can get a park!
7. Only go to those school events that your child is involved in and that are compulsory.
Engage Operation Mindset: Holiday Season
Make time to feel the holiday season vibe:
8. Take time to lie in the aircon and read a book.
9. Cool down with a swim in a pool.
10. Chill out by lying by a pool with a good book.
11. Drive the kids crazy by playing Christmas carols and singing along. This is fab for bringing forth the Christmas spirit!
12. If you haven’t got a holiday booked to look forward to, see if you can at least book a night or weekend away (it does wonders to escape all the endless jobs at home). If you’ve got young kids – find a place with a kids club!
13. Arrange a get together with good friends with whom you can relax and have a few vino’s with.
14. Give yourself permission for some sleep-in’s!
Mindfulness practice comes in very handy at this time of year!
15. Try and stay in the present and enjoy the moments!
16. Don’t let your mind dwell on the past like previous Christmas’s where there was family conflict or Aunty Flo didn’t get you a gift but you got her one etc.
17. Try not to freak out over all that needs to be done. Focus your attention on one day at a time!
Medical research has found that once Christmas Day has passed, the symptoms of Endofyearitis lessen quite considerably. Full recovery will be felt on the day all children return to school or University. Such a shame you were unwell while they were on holidays but such is the nature of this nasty illness.
How do you survive ‘Endofyearitis’? Anything extra to add?
Well then – I’m off to pop on a Bing Crosby Christmas carols CD and luckily all my young adult offspring are home to enjoy it with me! 😉
Ciao for now,
Notes:
- This post is linked up with Essentially Jess’s #IBOT and Have a Laugh On Me’s #LaughLink
- No images used in this post are my own. All are hyperlinked to their original source.
30 Comments
At least I’ve now got a name for what I’ve got! I can feel my Endofyearitis symptoms worsening as each day progresses and I think of all the preparations I need to do before Christmas! At least I know it will pass in 5 weeks or so!
Yes it helps to give things a name I’ve found! Lol My symptoms have been worsening also which is what drove me to write this post on this debilitating disease. I forgot to mention that regular doses of wine are very beneficial to treat it also. How remiss of me!! 😉
I had to giggle because that is exactly what I am feeling but I didn’t have a name for it till now 🙂
(sending love from #IBOT)
Glad to hear you had a giggle! Thank you for visiting 🙂 x
Excellent advice! I think it is time to dig out the holiday cd’s and enjoy them. We have dance rehearsals, swim carnivals and music recitals on top of normal living. The thing that really makes it crap for me is th heat and humidity so I wonder if we have more sufferers in queensland than tassie lol. Xx
I just can’t get in the Xmas spirit unless I play those Christmas CD’s!! I always play them when I put up the Xmas tree and decorations. I love being a dag! I don’t cope with the humidity either but I am very lucky to have a pool and aircon at my disposal. They really help keep my condition under control!! I think they have a different strain of Endofyearitis in Tazzie. Must investigate that further 😉 xo
I love all of your ideas and some of them are my way of getting through. Thank you for your inspiration. V x
My pleasure! Thanks for visiting 🙂 xo
This is great Min and I have to say I really need to try harder at just slowing down…It’s so hot today and I’m at home working and haven’t turned on AC yet but I really want to…………. thanks for linking – come back next week, great post x
Yes must say you do seem to be very busy of late Em. I hope you get a proper break over the Christmas period!! I’ll link up with your Laugh Link whenever I happen to have a slightly funny post – I promise! 😉 x
I love it Min! I especially like the parts about pools and books. I can definitely see that happening.
I love pools and books – can you tell? lol I rarely allow myself to relax and read through the day though. Sometimes on a weekend. Never through the week. Usually only when away on holidays. Silly really!! 😉
I like the name you called it for this time of year. To cope with the busyness we have opted not to have our annual Christmas party this year which may sound grinch like but we’ve had a hard year financially and with three little ones to look after I don’t need the stress. We are also having Christmas lunch at a restaurant so no need for cooking or getting stressed if the house is a mess with people coming over. Great post Min!
Opting out of having your annual Christmas party this year doesn’t sound grinch at all to me Bec! My goodness you just had a baby not long ago and yes – hosting a party does end up costing quite a bit! I think you’ve made a sensible decision. Good for you! Enjoy that Christmas lunch at the restaurant – sounds lovely and stress free. If they have aircon too – perfecto!! 😉 xo
Oh yes! Love all of these suggestions!
Pleased you approve Deb! I know how,like me, you like to read. I should have included soaking in a bath too – shouldn’t have I!! 😉
The to-do list keeps growing and I am running out of days before 2015 slides on in, but in all honesty I love all the end of year stuff, and work much better when I have a lot to do. xx N
I used to be like that Nikki but not anymore. I don’t like having too much on my plate these days. Lucky you though – you’d be in your element! 😉 xo
Min, I have just cranked the air con. We’ve all been a touch cranky here and I think it’s definitely got something to do with these stinking hot days and the fact that we’re all a little tired come this time of year. I’m trying to enjoy some down time at the moment, but my poor wee girls are too hot to sleep. If only we had aircon in their rooms. Enjoy your Bing Crosby 🙂
The stinking hot days certainly lend themselves to crankiness that’s for sure! Love my aircon! When my kids were little we lived in SUCH a hot little house. It was awful! I’d have loved to have aircon back then! 😉
Oh and dropping in to say hi from #teamIBOT 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Very timely post for me! I was having a freak out about how to drive 1.5hrs away to visit our friends and get my son’s nap time in. Will he sleep in the car. Will he sleep in the porta cot. Is it mean to make him have a 2 hr nap and then a 1.5hr drive right afterwards? It’s too long to drive for 2 hours of friends. Finally I just said to myself this morning “Relax, just go with the flow on the day and stop planning every gosh darn moment of it.!” BUT I do need a couple glasses of wine with a really good friend too. MUST make sure my BFF heard me say we need to party at her house soon…
Oh dear you sound a bit like me – always overthinking things! Yep – just chill and go with the flow. Definately have a few glasses of wine with a friend. It’s such an easy and fun way to unwind and relax 🙂
I would like a bit of summer here. It’s still cold so many days and I want to be able to wear shorts and a tank top all day, and not have to change three times!!
I’m slowly getting organised for Christmas. Once I’ve got the gifts, I’ll feel better. 🙂
OMG Jess – I didn’t realise there was any part of Australia that wasn’t hot! What a change for you guys from Darwin!! Once I get the gifts I’ll feel better too. I have none so far!! 😉
I think a lot of people forget to realise that this is the time of year when we get more stressed out than normal.
I wouldn’t even think twice about it in the past but over the past 3 years or so, I’ve become more aware of what I can and can’t commit to. Seems like I took on waaaay too much more than I should’ve in the past.
Great tips, Min! x
Thanks Grace! There’s lots of additional stresses on us around this time of year. I didn’t used to feel it so much years ago but certainly do these days (and for some time). It’s best to know your limitations and have some strategies in place to get through it all without blowing a gasket 😉 x
Goodness yes! And my birthday falls smack in the middle of it all so it kind of gets overlooked and it’s just one more thing I want to “get over” at this time of year.
Oh I always feel for those of you with birthdays at this time of year! Don’t let it get overlooked! My birthday is in May which is kind of perfect. Must admit that I am usually relieved when Christmas is over these days!