The holiday is meant for many things, such as fun, rest, creating memories, family time, and laughter. However, work is not one of them. People try hard to shut out work and focus on getting rest from the year’s work, but it rarely works out.
So, if you struggle with taking a break, how can you shut out work during the holidays, even when it’s staring you right in the face?
The following are ways to achieve a work-free holiday:
1. Complete your tasks
Ensure you’re done with your assignments so you’ll be comfortable taking a break. Your focus will be divided if you don’t complete your task, and it’ll defeat the purpose of taking a break in the first place.
READ ALSO: 4 Ways to Avoid Work Burnout
2. Announce your break
It’s up to you to determine who needs to know about your break or your intention to shut out work during the holiday.
This is so that you can set boundaries and keep distractions that could come from these people.
3. Plan your rest
This one is quite important, but it’s easy to overlook. What you don’t plan for might not end up well.
Make your decision to shut out work worth it by planning what your break would look like. Exercising at intervals, going out, staying indoors, having a few friends over for a get-together, etc.
4. Mute notifications (Use DnD)
People deal with work-induced anxiety more than half the time, especially when they plan to shut out work for a period.
However, you can mute notifications and limit your interaction with people and work-related tasks – you can activate the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your device or mute notifications from different apps on your device.
5. Practice mindfulness.
Your break will end in no time, and you’ll look back and realize that you didn’t enjoy your break or have enough time to recuperate from work.
The aim of the break is to shut out work and its noise. So, you should practice being present and enjoy every moment. Journalling, taking a stroll, or keeping your phone aside might help.
6. Prioritise self and home care
Declutter your space, declutter your mind so you can have a blissful rest period. A busy mind and an overly occupied space can alter your rest and add to your stress.
You can consider going to a spa, arranging your space, journalling, therapy, etc.
READ ALSO: 6 tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance
7. Plan for work
You must ensure you’re physically and mentally ready to resume work. Knowing when work begins will help you put things in perspective and prepare you for what comes after the decision to shut out work.
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