174 ^ Cosmopolitan ^ DECEMBER 2016
live it up!
the end of the year
always arrives in
a parade of shock,
panic and general
excitement; there’s
a tingle in the air,
and everything
feels amped up...
even your schedule.
actually, that’s
shocking you like
an electric eel, if
you know what i
mean. but now’s
not the time to
throw your hands
up in a come-what-
may attitude. on
the contrary, it’s
time for you to step
into those big-girl
valentinos shoes
and slay the season.appointments, alWays
December is not the month
to amble into your favourite
salon, casually asking for a
blow-dry. Stylists are fully
booked from their first
appointment right through
the extra appointments they
add in during the course
of the month. You’ll leave
feeling frustrated at your
inability to score a place
(Who’s going to do your
saree drape now?!) or at
the amount of time you
had to wait till someone,
by some miracle, managed
to squeeze you in. So do
yourself a favour and map
out your fancy occasions for
the month. Then, call and
make appointments for those
that require them. Add all of
it to your calendar and set
yourself an extra reminder so
that you don’t forget.A missed appointment is as
bad as no appointment—and
the salon isn’t likely to look
kindly on you for causing
them to miss a money-
making opportunity.One last thing, make sure
to be on time. Getting to
the salon twenty minutes
behind schedule means
you’re pushing back all the
appointments after you, or
your stylist will do a rushed
job trying to get you ready
on time, neither of which you
should be happy about!cash in on cardio
Having a balanced exercise
regime with cardiovascular,
strength and flexibility
training is definitely a must
in your general routine.
But sticking diligent to
workouts in December can
be challenging, especially if
that slot falls in the evenings.
Although we know the
benefits of breaking a sweat,
let’s face it, Pinot beats Pilates
every time, right? It’s okay
to let it slide, but absolutely
do not cut it out completely
because that lehenga isn’t
going to zip itself. And while
strength and flexibility will
be required in the many
after-after-parties you’ll have
to attend (because the dry
spell on the island is over,
you know? Hai, monsoons.)
it won’t effectively help you
work off the eggnog and
Christmas pudding in double
quick time—only cardio can
do that. So whatever you
have to do, squeeze in at least
a half hour twice a week.
Work it off on the treadmill,
hit the courts or dance it
out at Zumba. Give your
cardio undivided attention
and you’ll stop feeling
uncomfortably bloated, your
New Years’ Eve dress will
still fit, and you’ll have an
endorphin rush that ensures
your Party Princess title
stands strong.stay on top
We mean work obligations,
though you can take that
as you like. It’s tempting
to push away pesky admin
issues or mails requiring
a lengthy, argumentative
debate, promising yourself
you’ll deal at a later date.
The problem is that you’re
going to have a digital pile
of troubles to address as
you come into work after
the New Year. And what’s
more depressing than your
friends and fam beginning
to disperse again? Drowning
in the dull responses that
are sure to aggravate the
recipient because you’ve
taken so long to get back.Make it a point to address
the issues as they land in
your inbox. Not only will
you feel like the queen of
problem solving, but getting
them off your plate will lift
the weight off your shoulders
as you head for your seventh
family dinner. Treat yourself
to an extra blow-dry or
massage as a well-deserved
reward. And now, when you
return to the office, you can
focus on brainstorming and
strategising for the year to
come with nothing holding
you back.holla for hydration
While you may feel invincible
at the start of the season, it
can begin to weigh on you
right around the last week.
Maybe moderation does
have its benefits, but now’s
not the time to ponder...not
like you have any, anyway.
Feeling fatigued and drained
may be simply because you
are overwhelmed by all that
is expected of you, but more
often than not the source
lies in your water intake.
Between the elliptical and
the eggnog, your body isn’t
getting as much H 2 0 as it
requires. Make sure to drink
at least 2 litres over thecourse of the day and set
constant reminders (there
are apps that help). To give
your immune system a bigger
boost, add a slice of lemon
to each glass. You’ll feel your
energy skyrocket almost
immediately, not to mention
your toxins will be flushed
out quicker. Hydration
ensures that you run the
season, and not the other
way around.prep the prep
Trying to put together your
presents and outfits sitting
in the office on the day of, is
probably going to send your
heart rate through the roof
with all the anxiety to get it
done on time. Do yourself
a favour and prepare in
advance, like the weekend
before. Stock up on raw
materials (wrapping paper,
safety pins, ribbons, razors
etc.) to ensure efficient time
to prep and prime.Set aside a couple of quiet
hours on Saturday afternoon
and cut, size and tape like
a woman unleashed; as the
week unfolds, you’ll have a
stack of beautifully wrapped
gifts you can just grab and
go. When planning your
work outfits, try and make
them as versatile as possible
so you can slip on a pair of
heels and dressy earrings
to take you straight to that
evening’s get together. Sharp
slacks and rompers, silk
dresses, or saris are great
picks for when you have a
meeting ending at 7PM and
a birthday party right after.
It also means you don’t waste
precious minutes travelling
home in-between. The less
time you spend going to and
fro in the mad traffic, the
more you have for yourself
and the things that actually
matter like catch-ups over
coffee, dancing till dawn, and
just living life as the best,
beautiful version of you.