MOSCOW, January 6 - RIA Novosti. To get rid of the feeling of routine on winter holidays is not by rejecting the usual routine, but by changing everyday activities - devoting time not to work, but to hobbies, walks, communicating with loved ones or interesting people, as well as planning in advance activities that can be implemented in conditions of restrictions on coronavirus, according to experts interviewed by RIA Novosti.
"If possible, you need to follow the schedule, in any case with regard to the time of going to bed and the time of waking up. The fact is that these are complex complex processes in the body and bring some kind of chaos into them - this is more expensive for yourself," - said the psychologist - Consultant of the Psychological Center on Volkhonka Ilya Shabshin, answering the question of whether it is worth trying to get out of the routine by abandoning the routine of working days.
He clarified that sometimes you can go to bed an hour later or, on the contrary, get up later, but this is an exception to the rule, and without special reasons it is better not to disturb the existing system of sleep and wakefulness. Shabshin drew attention to the fact that the way a person usually lives in everyday life should suit him, coincide with his individual characteristics, should be comfortable.
"As for some kind of switching, it should be done not in terms of breaking the regime, but simply in terms of how the day is filled. It should be devoted on holidays, of course, not to work, not sitting in front of the computer, which was the case before. a lot, due to self-isolation and remote work, this year is especially a lot and this causes colossal harm to the body and great damage to our health, "the expert noted.
As Irina Obukhova, a practicing family psychologist, a full member of the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) and the Professional Psychotherapeutic League, added, this year is very specific and each person is in the zone of not felt, maybe, but stress, anxiety, so the holidays are an opportunity to just hear yourself what I really want and what I miss.
"Someone will have to hold on to these rituals in order to feel calmer, because the psyche gets used to some habitual, ritual actions, and if a person got up at the same time, drank coffee at the same time, something else, then this is his story. If another person needs to sometimes arrange a pajama day for himself and not get up at all, this is his story, "she said.
According to the candidate of psychological sciences, business trainer Kristina Ivanenko, it is good that it became known that many events would not take place on holidays, and some establishments would be closed, it became known a few months before the holidays. This, according to the expert, makes it possible to "re-invent" New Year's holidays for themselves, to come up with a new concept for them.
"Because when our plans come true, we get the same feeling of satisfaction, a full set of hormones - serotonin, dopamine, neurotransmitters - are released - and we feel good when what we planned is implemented," the psychologist explained.
She added that if some traditions are important to us, we can partially leave them, because the psyche is good when something that we are used to doing from year to year is repeated, especially on New Year's. The expert also recommends paying attention to the aesthetic aspect of reality during the holidays, enjoying what there has always been no time for: lanterns, garlands, toys, home decoration, mulled wine, snowflakes - everything that is called hygge in the Scandinavian countries.
Ivanenko also suggests trying to immerse yourself in the "flow state". According to her, such a state is very important for a person for comfort, it is a state when time and difficulties are forgotten, it can be "caught" by doing anything - cutting snowflakes, making cookies. The flow state very much relaxes the nervous system.
The expert's second tip is to add more air and cardio to your life. Not to burden the vacation with a lot of alcohol and food, but to make this New Year "healthier". If the weather permits, it is worth arranging a snowball fight, skiing or snowboarding. The third possibility is country trips, but in this case the main thing is natural motivation, when we do not force ourselves or do something out of despair, but really want something.
“It's great not just to go on a trip, but to first awaken in yourself the desire to go there, read a lot, see enough pictures. Come up with some kind of interest so that it is not strained, but really, so that we begin to experience it,” explained Ivanenko.
Another idea proposed by a psychologist is to master something new during the New Year holidays. This is the time when you can completely disconnect from business and learn something new. Also, in her opinion, it is important to observe digital detox during these holidays.