The 5 R’s: Small Practices for a Hectic Season

The holidays can be meaningful, overwhelming, grounding, and exhausting all at once. For many people, especially those of us living in cycles of travel, production schedules, deadlines, or high-intensity work, traditional wellness advice can feel disconnected from reality.

This post offers small, practical ways to engage with the 5 R’s that respect the hustle of live event professionals and their real schedules, real pressure, and real nervous systems.

You do not need to do all of these. Choose one or two that feel supportive and leave the rest.

1: REST

Rest is not just sleep. It is the moment when your system realizes it is safe to stand down and release. A helpful place to start is simply by checking in with yourself.

Check in

Ask yourself: How am I feeling right now? Not how you should feel. Not how others expect you to feel. Just what is actually present for you.

A simple framework to do this is the acronym of HALT:

• Hungry

• Angry

• Lonely

• Tired

If you are any of these, it is not a failure—it is information. It is a signal that some form of self-care, nourishment, rest, or a pause may be needed before moving forward or reacting.

Cognitive Unloading

When the mind is holding too many open loops of thought, past conversations, or ideas, and rest becomes difficult.

How to try it:

• Take one piece of paper or a notes app.

• Write down everything currently occupying mental space.

• Do not organize, solve, or prioritize.

• Stop when nothing else comes to mind.

• And leave it. You don't have to do anything else with that information.

This allows the brain to stop tracking unfinished thoughts and gives the body permission to rest.

Afterglow Reset

After intense moments: a show, a long day, conflict, or a deadline: the nervous system often stays activated, aka you have a "post-show adrenaline rush."

How to try it:

• Sit or stand somewhere quiet

• Place one hand at the base of your neck

• Breathe slowly for two minutes

• Let your shoulders drop naturally

This helps close the loop on adrenaline and prevents stress from carrying into the next moment.

2: RELEASE

Release is about letting go of what the season does not need from you.

Much of the pressure we feel during the holiday season comes from unspoken expectations, internal or external, that we never agreed to out loud.

Seasonal Permission Slips

How to try it:

Write two sentences:

• “I give myself permission to…”

• “I release myself from…”

Examples:

• I give myself permission to decline invitations without explanation.

• I release myself from trying to make everything perfect.

This practice supports boundaries without confrontation.

The 90-Second Rule

Stress responses move through the body quickly if they are not mentally re-triggered.

How to try it:

• Notice when stress or emotion spikes

• Breathe for 90 seconds

• Avoid narrating, analyzing, or solving

• Let the physical response pass

This helps release tension before it becomes stored stress.

3: RECONNECT

Reconnection is not about doing more. It is about returning to what steadies you. Not all connection is regulating. Some interactions drain us, even when they are well-intentioned.

Anchor People Mapping

How to try it:

• Identify three people who help you feel grounded and at ease being yourself

• These are not obligations or check-ins

• Intentionally reach out to one of them (even if it's a quick text to say hi)

Connection that regulates the nervous system restores balance more effectively than forced socializing.

Micro Grounding Tools

Small sensory anchors can bring the nervous system back to the present.

Examples include:

• A familiar scent

• A smooth object or coin

• A favorite piece of clothing

• A simple tactile item

These tools are portable and especially helpful on the road or in high-stimulation environments. An accessible practice can be the 5-4-3-2-1 Method.

4: REFLECT

Reflection is not about judging the year. It is about understanding it.

The Red Thread Review

Rather than listing accomplishments or failures, look for the theme that wove through everything.

Ask yourself:

• What was the thread that showed up again and again this year?

• What did this year ask of me?

This brings meaning without pressure of performance.

Internal Soundcheck

Borrowed from our sound engineers :)

Ask:

• What channel in me is too loud right now?

• What needs to come up in the mix?

Reflection helps re-balance emotional volume before moving forward.

“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” — Nido Qubein

5: RECEIVE

Receiving is a skill not a weakness. Many people in leadership and live event production are practiced at giving but struggle to let support come back in.

Borrowed Calm

Nervous systems regulate together.

How to try it:

• Sit near someone that you think is steady and calm

• Talk with a trusted person

• Spend time with a pet

• Allow your breathing to slow naturally if it's amped up

You do not have to regulate everything alone.

Practicing Acceptance

How to try it:

• When offered help, kindness, or praise

• Pause

• Say “thanks”

• Avoid minimizing or deflecting

Receiving restores balance between giving and being supported.

Please know that if you feel like you could use a tune-up as the year closes, or support as you move into new gig opportunities, consider reaching out to an All Access clinician. Our All Access program is offered year round, providing up to 4 free 1:1 sessions per year in mental health support, coaching and financial coaching for anyone working in live events full time, along with your spouse, partner and dependents. Support does not mean something is wrong. It means you are paying attention and asking to receive what you need is a super skill set.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” — Michael Altshuler

A Final Note

You are the pilot of these practices.

They are not about fixing yourself or getting wellness “right.” They aren’t another checklist or something to master. They are simply tools, steady and available, for moments when life feels full, loud, or heavy.

Try them on.

Fly them out and see what fits.

Leave what doesn’t.

Return to what helps.

There is no single right way to move through this season. There is only noticing what supports you, even in small ways, and giving yourself permission to come back to that again and again.

As the holidays unfold, we hope you find your way into a few of the R’s that help you soften, steady, and return—back to yourself, and back to spending time fully present with the people you love.

Wishing you a beautiful holiday season.

— The ECCHO Live Team

Empowering People. Amplifying Potential.

And of course, there were multiple votes for Gold Bond, no explanation necessary.

If you’ve got a favorite item that gets you through the heat, the hustle, or the 18-hour work day, send it our way or tag us online. We love seeing what fuels your season.