Strategies to Combat Stress During the Busy Holiday Season at Lagree Studios

The holiday season often brings equal parts joy and stress. Our calendars quickly overflow quickly between holiday parties, family gatherings, travel plans, shopping, baking, and more. For Lagree studio owners, trainers, and clients, the additional holiday hustle and bustle can overload already busy schedules.

At Walla, we want to help Lagree studios and their communities combat mounting holiday stress proactively. We recognize this season brings added demands on time, finances, emotions, and physical energy for studio owners, trainers, and clients alike. Without an actionable stress management plan, it’s easy to burn out even before the new year chimes in.

That’s why we’ve compiled targeted tips and strategies specifically for the Lagree community to help everyone minimize holiday stress. Having an arsenal of practical stress relief tactics empowers studio owners, trainers, and clients to enjoy the holidays without drowning under tinsel and to-do lists. Read on to discover actionable ways to reduce anxiety while spreading seasonal joy within your Lagree community this December.

Stress-reducing tips for the busy holiday season:

1. Automate or outsource non-core tasks/services

Come December, administrative responsibilities like managing holiday promotions, coordinating celebration events, and communicating studio changes pile up rapidly for Lagree owners and trainers. Simultaneously, client demands spike as they scramble to fit in workouts between parties and travel.

Rather than let holiday tasks pile into a giant, teetering stack, take advantage of automation and outsourcing:

• Email marketing: Create holiday email campaigns promoting gift cards, new merchandise, or holiday class packages with meaningful messaging. Walla's fully integrated marketing suite enables you to track, schedule and automate promotional emails (with AI capabilities to save time)—even for last-minute promos.
• Social media: Actively plan out holiday social media content, including festive workout pictures, trainer highlights, and holiday closing alerts. Schedule posts to automatically publish on Facebook and Instagram using tools like Later and Canva for creative.
• Gift services: Outsource shopping for top client and trainer holiday gifts. Provide a gift concierge service with clients’ style preferences and interests. Personal shoppers can source thoughtful, one-of-a-kind items that wow VIPs for a fraction of the effort.
• Holiday events: Bring in outside support staff to manage holiday parties, volunteer events, or celebration classes. Event coordinators can handle logistics like food, decor, and entertainment so your team can focus on clients.
  

Evaluate your holiday workload to pinpoint tasks that could be simplified, systemized, or delegated. Lifting even small to-dos off your plate gives you precious time and mental space this December.

2. Create a realistic schedule and stick to it

Packed December social calendars trick us into believing we can attend every holiday gathering while working regular hours, traveling, shopping, and working out. In reality, this breakneck pace is unsustainable.

That’s why having a realistic holiday schedule is critical for Lagree studios. Block out your must-attend commitments like family celebrations and holiday traditions. Schedule in daily movement—whether Lagree sessions or home workouts—to keep stress levels balanced. Pad calendars with open buffers rather than overpacking days. Communicate your schedule clearly with colleagues, friends, and family so they know the best times to connect.

While creating a schedule provides structure, actually sticking to it prevents holiday havoc. When friends invite you to last-minute soirées, don’t hesitate to decline if it compromises self-care commitments. For Lagree owners and trainers, protecting personal time isn’t selfish —delivering your best to clients is essential. Honor your boundaries while being flexible if priorities shift.

3. Make time for fun and relaxation

When holiday stress strikes, carve out time for meaningful rest and rejuvenation. Schedule activities that spark joy and promote relaxation amidst the seasonal busyness.

For Lagree enthusiasts, sweat out the tension by taking your favorite holiday-themed classes. Bond with classmates over the shared stress-relieving experience. Outside the studio, plan festivities that feed the soul, like baking cookies, watching nostalgic movies, or grabbing festive cocktails with friends. Don’t wait until New Year’s for a fresh start—be proactive with fun stress relief now.

If you need an extended respite from holiday madness, calendar in occasional “do nothing” days. Give yourself permission to lounge in pajamas, take a luxurious bath, nap, or binge that holiday rom-com without guilt. Listening to your mind and body’s signals for rest and recovery prevents adrenal fatigue, so you can fully enjoy the holidays.

4. Incorporate mindfulness and meditation practices

While scheduling relaxation is important, developing mindfulness skills lets you press pause on stress in the moment. Through consistent meditation and breathwork, you train your nervous system to remain calm and centered amidst holiday chaos.

Start small by taking mini-meditation breaks throughout the day. Set a five-minute timer, sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take ten deep inhales and exhales. As you breathe deeply through the nose and out through the mouth, focus only on the sensation of air filling your body. Releasing thoughts of holiday to-do’s with each exhale.

Once you get the hang of basic breathwork, try introducing short guided meditations from apps like Calm. Even just 5-10 minutes of tuning out external holiday noise to tune into your inner state provides immense anxiety relief.

Soon, these mindfulness breaks will become second nature whenever seasonal stress strikes. With practice, you can access a grounded mental haven no matter how hectic the holidays become.

5. Offer employee and trainer incentives

Booming holiday class attendance places immense pressure on Lagree trainers to deliver exceptional sessions to stressed clients. Packed schedules leave little downtime to enjoy their own holiday festivities.

Providing targeted incentives and perks helps combat trainer holiday burnout so they can spread seasonal cheer to clients:

• Bonuses: Offer special monetary bonuses to trainers willing to take on extra holiday classes. Increased income helps compensate for busier schedules (and bonuses are super-easy to track in Walla).
• Treats: Have holiday meals like breakfast casseroles or cookie platters catered to give trainers quick but festive breaks between sessions.
• Coverage: Promise trainers coverage for certain holiday events like kids’ performances or family gatherings so they don’t miss out. Walla's automated sub management feature eliminates the stress of finding coverage, too!
• Wellness: Surprise trainers with therapeutic gifts like massages, acupuncture, or access to infrared saunas to help their bodies recharge between holiday classes.
• Team bonding: Treat the training team to holiday bowling, escape rooms, or photo booths. Enjoying low-stress social events strengthens camaraderie and community.
  

By proactively supporting trainers, owners invest in delivering exceptional holiday experiences that clients remember for years.

6. Offer clients holiday class packages

Holiday hustle and bustle leads many Lagree clients to pause memberships as social commitments pile up. Unfortunately, losing momentum in December makes restarting fitness routines in January even harder.

That’s why offering holiday class packages helps clients stick to routines while combating seasonal stress. Consider deals like:

• Five classes for the price of 3: Let clients drop into classes flexibly across December without losing momentum.
• “Bring a Friend” credits: Empower members to expose friends and family to favorite Lagree sessions over the holidays.
• Gift card bonuses: Boost holiday gift card sales by bundling extra classes or merchandise credit with purchases.
• New client trial offers: Entice stressed shoppers to get in holiday shape with intro package deals.
• Charity class donations: For every class purchased in December, donate a session to charity raffles spreading holiday wellness.
  

Appealing to clients’ holiday mentality encourages consistent December attendance while giving the gift of Lagree.

7. Host festive events

’Tis the season for holiday happenings, so capitalize on the festive spirit! Hosting celebrations like the following spreads seasonal joy while strengthening community bonds:

• Ugly sweater workout classes: Deck the studio in tacky tinsel for giggling group classes sporting the wackiest holiday apparel—award prizes for the wildest looks.
• Seasonal showcases: Host an event where trainers teach short sequences from unique holiday-inspired classes like “Secret Santa Abs” or “Menorah Arms.”
• Holiday potlucks: Gather clients and trainers to share cherished family recipes and treats from around the world, reflecting seasonal traditions.
• Giving trees: Set up holiday trees where members anonymously donate gifts to charity. Facilitate delivering community donations to those in need.
  

Sprinkling merry moments of connection amidst holiday madness remind members of relationships that matter beyond seasonal stress.

Hectic holidays trigger stress even in the cheeriest Lagree communities. By being proactive, studios can curate targeted strategies so members manage commitments without burning out. Stress-busting tactics like mindfulness, outsourcing, and festive events empower studio owners, trainers, and clients to prioritize self-care while spreading seasonal joy.

This holiday season, give the gift of Lagree strength and Zen calm even during the busiest December days. Walla provides software solutions to simplify administrative tasks so you can stay present and enjoy the magic of this special time of year. Contact us to learn more about optimizing holiday hustle and flow.