With holidays, travel, and other commitments, the holiday “break” often isn’t that much of a break. Here are 5 tips to help you truly relax during the holidays so you can come back feeling fresh and rejuvenated.
- Read a book for pleasure. Often, we read for work or school-related reasons. During the holidays, read a book purely for fun. Whatever you choose, make sure that you can finish it before returning to school. Not being able to finish a book can be as stressful as not starting at all.
- Try a restorative technique. Yoga, meditation, going to the spa and other restorative techniques are great relaxation practices. You’ll feel calmer and may even find a new habit that will help you unwind throughout the year.
- Make travel easier. A lot of people have to travel over the holidays; entire books have been written about the stress it can cause. Instead of flying during the peak days and times, try to plan your travel on dates that are less busy. If you’re driving, take your time and plan stops along the way to enjoy the sights. Too often, we are focused on the destination. Think more about the journey to make this year’s holiday travel a more relaxing experience.
Make time for yourself. During breaks, many feel guilty if they don’t spend all their time with their family. However, holiday breaks are just as much about recharging as it is reconnecting. So, don’t feel bad about setting some boundaries and dedicating time for yourself to rest, pursue your interests, or get together with friends.- Explore new strategies. Some people just can’t stop thinking about how to be better at what they do. If you fall into this category, investigate some new strategy that gets you excited. This will get you that much readier to start work again because you’ll be enthusiastic about implementing the new strategy.