4 Budget-Savvy Ways to Maintain Optimal Mental Health During The Pan-Holiday Season

To say that 2020 has been tough would be an incredible understatement. With COVID cases spiking, statewide hiring freezes, and dwindling federal aid it's hard to say when we'll feel balance again.

I lost my job due to lack of hours in September after leaving a previous job due to lack of hours (oh, the irony).

I've been unemployed for about three months and after doing all the house cleaning, reading almost every book in my library, and stressing about when I'll be working again, I came up with a list of ways to help you stay grounded and from going bat sh*t crazy during this pan-holiday season :)

1.) Pamper Yourself

There are many ways to show yourself love during this time. I actually have a ritual I do every week to ensure I'm giving myself the love and attention I deserve. Maybe it'll help you as well.

First, I run an extra hot bubble bath (and light candles in the bathroom. I'm pretty tall and I don't have the best bed in the world, so heat is my best friend.

If I'm really feelin' myself, I'll throw some rose petals in the water as well. I turn off the lights and play my favorite lo-fi playlist on Youtube.

Most times I sip a glass of wine and soak in the tub until I prune. After the bath, I'll massage my favorite body cream into my skin, slowly. Pampering yourself is a sensual process, so take your time.

Later, I indulge in my favorite chocolate and paint my nails with my favorite color nail polish. I also prepare one of my favorite crockpot meals (while drinking the rest of the wine), which is tremendously therapeutic.

This meal costs about $25 at Walmart and feeds one person for about a week.

After that, I watch a period drama or some slice of life anime (yes, I'm an Otaku :]).

At some point, I wake up in the morning and wonder, "When did I fall asleep?" This is how you know Project Pan-Holiday Pamper was a success.

*I bought most of these items on sale and/or with coupons.

2.) Host a Virtual Christmas Party

I was an introvert before it was cool, but I can't lie, sometimes I crave social interaction. Sure, I gain most of my energy from being alone, but I love a good party.

If you've never hosted a virtual party before, don't worry, I got you. Hosting a party is all about planning. There needs to be a time, date, theme (Christmas), games, and a platform to meet on (Google Meet, Skype, Zoom, etc.) Spending money on sustenance for others isn't budget-friendly, so I won't be discussing that aspect.

Since we have time, date, and theme covered let's move onto some ideas for games, shall we?

As a teacher, I'm always trying to find ways to engage my students. I found most of them (if not all) LOVE Kahoot! It's a game-based learning platform that allows you to create your own trivia games and quizzes. If you don't want to create your own, you can use existing games as well. It gets pretty riveting and free to use.

Zoom is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to play games virtually. All you have to do is connect with the game you wish to play, hit the share screen in Zoom, and you're on your way to one of the most enthralling experiences of your life.

3.) Nature

I believe nature to be one of the most grounding experiences there is.

I love free activities (as I'm unemployed and pretty frugal as a whole), so I hit up the nearest park or hiking trail. Sometimes it's just great to get outside. Personally, leaving the house to be in nature is like getting out of my head.

Most times I don't even feel like going, but I make myself because I know I'll feel a lot better afterward, especially after getting some sun.

Science has taught us that the sun helps our skin manufacture Vitamin D, which helps to stabilize our mood. A lack of Vitamin D is correlated with anxiety/depression and can play a major role in seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Speaking of the sun, standing barefoot directly on the Earth can have significant health benefits like lowering blood pressure. I'm a country girl, so I love standing barefoot outside :)

4.) Express Yourself

If this pandemic has taught us anything it's that nothing is promised: an occupation, financial stability, the economy, even our personal health.

With that being said, I've discovered the need to build my own business and I started this by enrolling in the Medium Partner Program.

There's an increased need for entertainment nowadays, so why not begin taking steps to construct your own means of financial independence?

According to Fauci, we may not experience pre-pandemic bliss until 2022. What I know for sure is that virtual interaction is the new social norm and this pandemic isn't dissipating anytime soon.

Whether it's becoming a partner, creating a Youtube channel, or building your own blog I feel it's a priority to express yourself. There's an audience for literally everything. Trust me. Did you know there's an olympics for underwater basket weaving?

This pan-holiday season is the best time to express yourself, so find what it is you enjoy doing and go for it. If you're like me, it'll begin as a hobby and turn into a lucrative business.

All in all, a pan-holiday season isn't exactly what we envisioned this year. There's been a significant learning curve dealing with COVID-19 as it relates to our culture and the way we live our lives, so it's important to establish a plan of self-care and a virtual community.

Walking, biking, hiking, visiting the nearest park, or just standing outside to soak up the sun are free day-day activities that can increase your mood.

One of the main issues I've noticed is how much we've depended on our employers and the economy to sustain us during hardship. For a company to have the ability to hire and fire someone at a moment's notice is hardly balanced, so expressing oneself on a virtual platform and having the opportunity to make a living from it seems ideal.

You are your most important investment.

I hope these ideas helped and my wish is for everyone to have a happy and healthy pan-holiday season. :)