It’s holiday time for many. That means summer days at the beach for the folk at home, the excitement of a snow holiday for others. It’s a time for generosity too in for kindness and spirit. Will you be generous with yourself at this time?

Being generous with yourself is not just about having a holiday. It’s about having an effective holiday. To do that, means committing to it.

Make time for down time
Not taking breaks can lead to overworking and burnout. We all need a change of pace and an opportunity to rest and reinvigorate our minds and bodies. The key is actually making the commitment to your own downtime. That means booking the leave, arranging to go somewhere and clearing your schedule of activities for the period.

Reflect on the the work year
Reflecting on your work is important for processing the events of the year. Its effect is in reducing or clearing your mind. This “cognitive load” can get in the way of you being available to the holiday experience. To benefit from having time out, you need to come to it with the ability to be calm and relaxed. You can do this by debriefing with someone – a family member or trusted friend.

Create holiday traditions
Traditions are rituals or habits that are developed over time. The development of habits help reinforce behaviour. If you develop a holiday tradition, you are setting yourself up to be able to get into holiday mode more easily. For some it is the annual summer holiday in the same location or venue each time. Perhaps meeting the same friends, or engaging in the same activities.

Holidays for flexible lifestylers?
When you live a flexible lifestyle do you need a holiday? I think so. We move from winter to winter, with periods of relatively intense work in each. So for us, the break comes in between in warmer climes. To do something completely different, in a different climate and setting is the goal.

What about you? What gives you the recharge that you need?

Reference:

Plummer, Matt. 2017. How to Actually Come Back from the Holidays Feeling Refreshed in Harvard Business Review. 22 December 2017.