Ways to switch off over the Christmas break

Whether 2019 has been a year for your personal history books or one you’re in a hurry to forget, it’s highly likely you’re counting down to the end of the year—highly anticipating some much-needed time off to relax, refresh and reset before the start of a new decade rolls around.

Despite the anticipation however, it can often be hard to really switch off from work, be completely present in the moment and put next year’s goals and aspirations truly on the back burner. If this sounds like you—don’t panic, we’ve put together a list of sure-fire ways to ensure you put all-things office related out of your mind, to enjoy the rejuvenating break you deserve.

PLAN – PREPARE FOR YOUR RETURN

While we’re all in favour of immersing yourself in some serious downtime with your loved ones over the Christmas break—we’re not about to advocate that you simply put everything in the ‘2020’s problem’ basket from here until the end of the working year.

Planning and preparing for your return—whether that’s anticipating what might come up, planning emails and making a good, old-fashioned to-do list, or putting some extra hours in the lead up to Christmas to allow for a smooth transition back into the working world in January are all great ways of ensuring that you’re taking as stress-free a break as possible.

AVOID WORK COMMUNICATION…DELETE EMAILS IN PARTICULAR

Are you in the habit of checking that pesky little mail app on your phone first thing in the morning? Well, that’s no way to spend a holiday in our books, so delete those apps from your phone to ensure you aren’t tempted to peak at them in moments of peacefulness and quiet.

GET RID OF THE TECHNOLOGY… YES THAT INCLUDES SOCIAL MEDIA

As much as we all love to believe that we can live in the moment and enjoy the occasional scroll on our phones, the bottom line is that being in constant contact with social media greatly interferes with our capacity to truly enjoy the present.

To that end, we reckon a technology hiatus over the Christmas break is a great idea—and deleting the offending apps (lookin’ at you, Instagram) or even better, switching your phone off and leaving it in a drawer for a few hours a day (or a few days!) are the best ways to ensure you can’t be tempted back.

SCHEDULE TIME IN TO RELAX AND DO NOTHING – DON’T RUSH

After putting in the hard yards all year, the Christmas holidays are often a hugely anticipated break, which can mean that they come with a whole heap of pressure attached to them, too.

While you should absolutely allocate your time to catching up with friends and family, it’s important to take some time to really relax and do nothing as well. Remember that often the best memories are made in the most spontaneous of circumstances—so be careful not to overbook your time and leave plenty of spare windows for some true RnR.

CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, EXERCISE, SPEND TIME ALONE, PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Diversifying the ways in which you spend your time this Christmas is key to truly switching off from your office setting. Allocate time for socialising and for enjoying your own company, for exercising and for being still—meditating and practicing mindfulness—and of course, keeping pockets of time spare for complete spontaneity; and simply doing what feels will serve you the best in the moment.