Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature about How to Slow Down during the Busy Season: The Art of a Peaceful Winter.
The end of the year brings with it a lot of stress and anxiety, with projects ending at work, family arriving for the holidays, presents to buy for the kids, and New Year’s resolutions to think about… it can all seem like a bit much.
And yet everything else about this season invites you to slow down: the days are shorter, the nights are longer, and there is a stillness in the air that invites introspection… So why aren’t we resting more?
For many, it is the busiest time of the year in a world that already moves quickly, and slowing down can feel like a luxury we can’t afford. But it is essential to do so to avoid risking a burn-out during the festive season.
And if you’ve read our recent practical post on preparing for the festive season, consider this its companion piece: once the logistics are sorted, this is the soul-soothing side of winter. So grab a cup of tea and read on as we explore the different ways to slow down intentionally, even when life feels full this wintertime.
How to Slow Down during the Busy Season: The Art of a Peaceful Winter
Contents
- Follow nature’s example
- Lighten your calendar
- Create winter rituals
- Practise mindful slowness
- Reconnect with nature
- Nourish your body
- Cultivate warmth at home
- Reduce digital noise
- Let go of the pressure to perform
- Reflect and reset
- Final Thoughts on How to Slow Down during the Busy Season
1. Follow nature’s example
Everything in nature rests during the wintertime. Animals hibernate, trees shed their dead leaves to make room for new ones in the spring… everything slows down, yet we humans often power through winter as if it were just another fast-paced chapter of the year.
But winter invites us to trade speed for presence and by following nature’s lead, we give ourselves permission to pause. The first thing to do is to start respecting the natural cycles around us. So instead of regretting the long days and being upset when the sun disappears at 5PM, why not lean into it?
Dim the lights at home, turn off your work computer earlier, and embrace slower evening routines and an earlier bedtime.
Pro Tip: Choose one evening per week as your “early night” — soft lighting, gentle routines, and no screens after a certain hour.
2. Lighten your calendar
The festive season seems to come with dozens of social events, be it at work or with friends and family. And in today’s world, we tend to fill every waking hour with something but it’s important to create some intentional blank space to avoid overwhelm.
So when you are reviewing your social calendar, make sure you ask yourself which commitments are essential and which ones are optional. And more importantly, which bring joy and which drain energy.
There are only so many hours in a day and it is important to give yourself permission to say “no” to anything that isn’t going to bring you joy. By doing this, you’ll have more time for the things that do and you’ll be able to keep one or two evenings per week as sacred downtime. Because rest is something we plan for, it is not what’s left when everything else is done.
Pro Tip: Before accepting an invitation, ask yourself: “Will this add energy or take it away?” Your body usually knows the answer immediately.
3. Create winter rituals to Slow Down during the Busy Season
Rituals are fantastic because they ground us, sort of like an anchor that keeps us at shore when life seems to be pulling us in lots of different directions. They bring structure and comfort but where we tend to go wrong is that, in an attempt to accomplish more, we make them long and complicated. Because of this, they become a chore, something you dread to do every day.
The key is to keep it simple and enjoyable, maybe even luxurious. For example, a morning routine could consist of lighting a scented candle while you sip on a warm drink, or taking a morning walk in your favourite park. And an evening routine could include a wind-down yoga practice, some dedicated reading time, or even a journaling session.
The power lies in repetition and intention, so keep routines small and enjoyable!
Pro Tip: Start with a three-minute ritual — small enough to stick, meaningful enough to shift your energy.
4. Practise mindful slowness
You’ve heard the saying “go slow to go fast” and it’s true, when you are in a rush, your brain is too overwhelmed to take note of progress or even see opportunities.
So whatever you are doing, do it slowly. When you go for a walk in the park, walk more slowly than usual and notice the world around you and all its small details.
When you get a bunch of notifications, pause before answering and before going to sleep each night, take three deep breaths… all of these can help you to slow down and be intentional with your time and energy. Because that’s what mindfulness is all about, returning to yourself again and again.
Pro Tip: Use habit stacking: link one moment of slowness to a daily action (e.g., three deep breaths before turning the key in the front door).
5. Reconnect with nature
Nature seems to be the remedy for everything and even though it is certainly cold outside, there is something so peaceful about a winter landscape, seemingly resting until spring.
So wrap up warm and head outside at least once per day, to get some fresh air and to remind yourself that the world is bigger than your to-do list.
Pro Tip: Try a “five-sense walk”: notice one thing you can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste (even if it’s just mint tea lingering).
6. Nourish your body
Eating seasonly is important regardless of the time of year but in winter, it is also delicious ! The body needs nourishment and nature delivers, with root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, celeriac, potatoes and sweet potatoes, but also with cruciferous ones like cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and collard greens.
Another important thing to remember is to drink plenty of water which is often forgotten in winter as thirst doesn’t knock like it does in spring.
It’s also important to get plenty of sleep in the wintertime, ideally more than in summer.
And when it comes to moving the body, avoid harsh workouts and aim for gentler movement with some yoga, stretching, and slow walks.
Pro Tip: Carry a water bottle at home. It sounds simple, but visual cues make habits easier.
7. Cultivate warmth at home
When it’s cold outside, it’s the perfect occasion to create a winter sanctuary, such as a cosy corner for reading or journaling, or a relaxing bath area where you can soak in hot water as you do some much-needed TLC. A great way to create a cosy mood is with scent so why not get some cedar, vanilla, or cinnamon candles? You can also use essential oils, natural elements such as sage, pine needles and wood to create a cosy atmosphere. In terms of feel, a warm blanket is a wonderful way to cosy up with a good book, as is some good ambient lighting!
Pro Tip: Choose one “winter corner” in your home and make it intentionally cosy. It becomes a small refuge when life feels busy.
8. Reduce digital noise
Winter is also the time to step off social media for a bit. After all, much of the season’s busyness doesn’t come from tasks, it comes from the mental clutter of seeing what everyone else is doing with their lives. So if you can, why not try a social media break for a few days or weeks ? And if you need to stay connected, maybe you could turn off notifications, or set a one-hour screen curfew before bed?
After all, it’s all about the small ways in which you can choose how and when you stay online, and when you make time for yourself.
Pro Tip: Move social media apps off your home screen. One extra step reduces mindless scrolling dramatically.
9. Let go of the pressure to perform
Winter often brings expectations: perfect holidays, perfectly clean homes, perfectly planned weeks… The season itself can sometimes feel like an end-of-year exam that you need to pass, and on top of that, you have to be joyful and jolly all the time.
But slowing down sometimes means intentionally releasing pressure and asking yourself, does this need to be perfect and do I need to be perfect? Answering no to that question is the best way to let go of unnecessary expectations during the festive season.
Pro Tip: Choose one thing to intentionally not perfect this season (gift wrapping, décor, baking). Let “good enough” be enough.
10. Reflect and reset
Winter marks that time between the end of one year and the beginning of the next, making it the ideal time for reflection and gentle intention-setting. As you carve out some time for yourself, you can reflect on what brought joy this year, what created stress, what you want more of in the coming months, what you’re ready to release… You don’t need to set resolutions, but just some honest time with yourself to figure out how life can feel softer and more peaceful for you.
Pro Tip: Set a 20-minute “reflection date” with yourself — candle, journal, tea — and allow thoughts to flow.
Final Thoughts on
How to Slow Down during the Busy Season: The Art of a Peaceful Winter
There you have it, some tips and tricks to slow down this winter. Keep in mind that the art of a peaceful winter is not about withdrawing from the world but about reconnecting with yourself. And winter is the ideal time for that as the season teaches us so much. It reminds us that pause is part of the cycle of life, that presence is the true antidote to hurry and that rest is not indulgence.
But most importantly, it teaches us that growth doesn’t always look like action, sometimes it looks like stillness, rest, and the quiet resolve to carry on.
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With love,
