Advice for your Christmas Break

Advice for your Christmas break from school/University or work

Having a break from school, college or university gives you a much needed opportunity to rest and recover before the new year, and time to spend with loved ones. However, for many autistic people, this change of routine can be difficult. Here are some tips for how to survive and thrive over the Christmas holidays.

Rest

You probably worked really hard for the past few weeks, it’s okay for you to need some rest. Think about calm activities you can enjoy over the break, such as reading, watching your favourite show or film, or playing games. It’s okay to be tired after a long term of studying.

Try to keep your sleep schedule normal

As tempting as it is to stay up super late, and sleep all day, it’s better to keep your sleep schedule as close to normal as you can. This will help you to feel your best when you go back after the holidays, and will give you more opportunities to go out and get some daylight if you need it.

Keep in touch with friends and family

Connecting with other people can be really beneficial to our mental health. Sometimes a break away from school or uni means it’s harder to see the friends you would normally see every day. Try to stay in touch with important people in your life, either through technology like calls or messages, or through meeting in person.

Schedule your days

Having a long time off of school or University can be daunting if you don’t know what you will be doing, especially if you have work or revision to do before you go back. Try to plan out what you will do each day, and when would be best to do these things. Having an idea of what you will be doing when can take away any anxiety of having to make decisions in the moment. Make sure to plan fun things too, as rewards for working hard, and to give yourself a break when you need it.

Be as festive as you feel

You don’t have to jump in to Christmas if it’s not your thing. It might be a nice idea to occasionally do small things to get into the festive spirit, like watching specific films or doing some baking, but that’s entirely up to you, it’s your break to enjoy.