The weeks following the holidays often bring big transitions for individuals with disabilities. After days filled with celebrations, family gatherings, new environments, and unpredictable schedules, getting back into everyday routines can feel both comforting and overwhelming. For many, this shift requires patience, reassurance, and thoughtful, person-centered support. At Community Supports Network (CSN), we understand that transitions—especially seasonal ones—can impact emotional regulation, sensory needs, and daily functioning. By approaching this time with intention, DSPs, caregivers, and families can help individuals feel grounded and confident as they re-enter familiar rhythms after the holidays.
How To Easily Get Back into Routine
Maintain Predictable Daily Touchpoints
Even if full routines are still settling back into place, keeping consistent anchors can help individuals feel secure. Simple touchpoints like morning greetings, predictable mealtimes, or shared evening activities provide stability when everything else feels like it’s changing.
Offer Gentle Sensory Support
Holiday environments are often loud, crowded, and highly stimulating. As individuals transition back to typical days, sensory needs may be heightened. Quiet spaces, soft lighting, weighted blankets, noise-reducing headphones, or familiar sensory items can help the nervous system settle.
Reintroduce Structure Gradually
Instead of jumping immediately into a full schedule, consider easing back with visual schedules, shorter periods of activity, planned rest breaks, and previewing what’s next. Gradual structure helps individuals regain confidence in routines without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
Validate Feelings and Normalize Transitions
It’s normal for individuals to feel tired, anxious, excited, or unsure at the start of a new year. Acknowledging these feelings—“It’s okay that things feel different today”—can provide powerful emotional support. Validation strengthens self-regulation and builds trust during moments of change.
Reconnect Through Choice and Engagement
Offer opportunities for individuals to choose activities they enjoy or revisit favorite routines. Whether it’s listening to music, cooking, visiting the community, or working on a familiar skill, positive engagement helps reestablish a sense of normalcy and independence.
Prepare for Upcoming Schedules
Previewing the upcoming week, updating visual calendars, and discussing upcoming activities can help individuals feel ready and informed. For those who rely on predictability, this preparation reduces anxiety and sets the tone for a smooth transition.
Looking Ahead
The return to routine after the holidays is an important moment of reconnection—an opportunity to create comfort, rebuild stability, and support individuals at their own pace. By approaching this transition with empathy and person-centered strategies, DSPs and caregivers help individuals begin the new year feeling supported, understood, and ready for what’s ahead.
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