Fall is in the air and holiday breaks are right around the corner. It’s so close we can feel it! We’re here to remind you that those fall and winter breaks should be just that: a break.
Far too many people try to keep themselves so busy during the holiday seasons that they don’t really get to relax and recharge their personal batteries before going back to work.
A common term you may have heard is: If you have time to sit, you have time to work. This perpetuates the idea that you should constantly be working, even when you may need a break.
It's so important to slow down, breathe, and take a break for yourself. We wanted to give you a few ideas on how to have the best holiday break so that you can be ready and energized for the upcoming school days.
3 Things You Should Do During Your Holiday Break
1. Turn off your work email.
Did you know that we check our emails, on average, about 15 times per day? In a professional setting, we are likely checking it so much more, especially when many people are working from home. A study from the University of British Columbia found that reducing the number of times we check our emails significantly decreases our stress levels.
If you’ve connected your work email to your phone, turn off the notifications during the break. It’s far too easy to reach over and pick up your phone to ‘quickly’ check your work email. Before you know it, you’ve been responding and scrolling for much longer than you intended.
Instead, set an away message that will automatically be sent to people that are trying to reach you. It’s okay if you’re not available 24/7 for everyone. You deserve a break from the endless scrolling of emails.
2. Do nothing
Have you ever used your phone to the point of the battery dying? Your phone literally can’t do anything for you until you plug it in and let it charge.
Your mind and body are the same way. At some point, you’re going to tire out and need a break to recharge. You may think that you can push through it, but in reality, you’re likely not doing your best work when you’re feeling stressed, burned out, tired, and in need of a break.
If you truly want a break from work, you have two options:
- Plan ahead and finish all your work before the break.
- Be okay with having unfinished work before the break with plans to complete it once you return to work.
Pick whichever method works best for you so that you can give yourself the break you deserve.
Here are a few things to try to decompress and relax your mind and body:
- Take a nap
- Read a book
- Go for a leisurely walk
- Order food from a new restaurant
- Do some yoga or deep breathing
- Watch some movies or T.V. shows
The Journal of Organizational Behavior found that when teachers were given a two-week break, they were more engaged and were less likely to feel burned out from work. There’s nothing wrong with doing nothing. Giving yourself time to recharge will do wonders for your motivation when you return to work.
3. Pick a few days to do something for you
A break is a perfect time to do some recreational things that you enjoy. Maybe you want to take a shot at a new cooking recipe or go on that hike you enjoy. There’s no pressure to do something new that you’ve never done before.
Many people ask, ‘what did you do for your holiday break?’ and everyone wants to have an exciting answer.
Here’s the thing, you don’t have to have the most thrilling break. That break is for you, and you alone. If you enjoy going on the same hike, you always go on; all the more power to you. The point is to relax, enjoy yourself, and recharge your battery. Only YOU can know how to do that.
Time to kick back, and relax!
All of us at PhotoStudy want to wish you a relaxing break! We hope your holidays are filled with yummy food and fond memories. Take that much-deserved break and enjoy relaxing!
