If ever there was a year when we all needed a break, this would be it. And yet, how many of us return from our vacations feeling even less rested than before? With tensions over Christmas lunches, bored children to entertain, and the leftover stress of a difficult year, it’s easy to understand how this can happen. Try these tips to help you make the most of your year-end break.
Set a goal
That might sound a little strange – surely goalsetting is something to save for work? Actually, no. Deciding whether you want to use your time out of the workshop to relax, discover your city or have more fun will help you decide how you want to spend your time – and then you can plan accordingly. After all, there’s a big difference between making plans with friends before their diaries get filled, or letting them know that you’re taking some downtime over the season and will catch up with them in the new year.
Be realistic
If your family doesn’t enjoy lying on the beach, the Christmas lunch with your in-laws is always tense, and your budget isn’t going to stretch very far this year, no amount of wishing (or, more likely, ignoring the problem) is going to change things. Accept that as much as you might have imagined the holiday to unfold a certain way, things may be very different in reality.
Plan ahead
If you know that your brother-in-law is going to get on your nerves at some point during family lunch, or you can only take so much Christmas shopping, make sure you have an escape plan in place.
Don’t discard all your routines
It may sound counterintuitive at a time when all you want is a step away from your usual day-to-day, but breaking routine can actually be very stressful – it’s why so many of us battled under lockdown. Keep up some of your rituals, whether it’s your morning run or your 10 o’clock cup of coffee.