The end of the year is great because it means you can finally use all of those vacation days you’ve been hoarding for so long. You've been pushing through all of your days, just waiting for that final long break.However, once that time get's going, every day off starts to blend together. It can be easy to fall into a Netflix hole or reading spiral. Next thing you know, all your vacation days are gone and you’re suddenly back at work.
What’s important is that you make the most of these days, because they’re truly few and far between. You deserve all the best, even when it comes to relaxing and refreshing. Days off provide you the time and means to find balance once again if you’ve lost it or work on way to make balance even easier to achieve in your life. Here are a few tips for making the most of your time this holiday brek.
Make a to-do list
Time off is great because it gives you distance and perspective that can help you re-evaluate your priorities. It’s important for you to prioritize what you want to get done, whether it just be over the holiday season or over the course of the next five years. This might be different based on what your personality or priorities are, but whatever it is, make sure you know what you want out of your life. No matter if it’s watching all of Game of Thrones in the next four days, seeing all of your old high school friends by the end of the year or updating your resume to apply for that promotion, make sure that you take some time to make a plan for your life.
See loved ones
You might not usually have time for all of your friends and family during the year, which is why the holidays are usually a highlight. You finally have the time and energy to see all those people you keep meaning to call. This is especially easy if you're headed home to see family and friends. Even if you’re not going home, make it a priority to see those important people in your life. Maybe reach out to local friends who live farther away who you’d like to reconnect with or those neighbors who were a huge help when you were loading in that new bookcase a few months ago. As fun as virtual friendships are, it’s important to get some valuable face-time in with other human beings. Make plans as simple as catching up over coffee or finishing up some last minute holiday shopping together. If you’re really feeling up to it. host a big party for all your friends or family to reunite over some holiday cheer.
Clear out your life
With the normal day-to-day, it can be hard to keep things clean and tidy. In this day and age, not only do we have to deal with our physical messes, but also our virtual clutter. Make it a priority to sort out your things so that you can start off the new year on a clean foot. Pull a Marie Kondo and clear out your life of all your unnecessary clothes, books, trinkets and toys. Give away all those unused but still good beauty products and clothes that didn’t work for you. Backup all your data to a hard drive, clean your phone of unwanted screenshots and delete all of your unnecessary documents. Clearing things out in your life will lift a burden off your shoulder that you won’t have to continue carrying into the new year.
Relax and recharge
Take the time to really spoil yourself. For some, this might mean going for a mani/pedi or a spa treatment. For others, this might mean getting out into nature with your family or pets. Make sure you do something that makes a positive impact on your physical and mental health. This can be done with a friend or family member, but also consider embarking on a solo relaxation mission. Taking time for yourself and being on your own is an important part of time off. In everyday life, we're constantly surrounded by other people's demands. It’s important to be on your own and get comfortable in your own skin again. Whatever you ultimately choose to do, make sure you practice great self-care during your time off.
Enjoy yourself
It’s really important that no matter what you choose to do with your time off, you use it to relax and recharge. This will make sure you come back to work or school ready to take on the new year fully refreshed.