How to fully enjoy your holidays?

Many people get sick or can’t relax during the first days of their time off. The goal of this article is that you stay healthy, disconnect easily from your responsibilities and fully enjoy your holidays.

Let’s begin with the physiological background: The “let-down effect” is the term for when we get sick after a stressful period. During stress, our body works in the sympathetic (fight and flight) nervous system producing high amounts of adrenaline and cortisol, which protect our immune system. When we “let go” suddenly, our body almost “crushes” into the parasympathetic (relaxing) nervous system and the massive decrease in stress hormones and protection, can lead to illness (more insights: https://www.anitawangmd.com/post-stress-let-down-effect/).
Another well known phenomenon is that the huge to do lists – both professional and personal to do’s – often make it hard to disconnect from our responsibilities and especially after stressful periods, it can take several days to “arrive” in the holiday feeling. And when we finally relax and enjoy, there is only half the time left. So what to do about this? Is there even a way to fully enjoy our holidays from the first day? Here is my summary of helpful tools:

1. Take enough breaks during the year
   On a general level: The key to health and avoiding high peaks of stress, is to find ways to relax and calm down during the work period, on our days off, the weekend etc. Find activities that help you relax whether this is sport, music, spending time with your loved ones, reading, talking walks, connecting to nature, good food, crafting etc. It’s crucial to find moments of relaxation daily and weekly and not let the stress build up for months.
   
   
2. Slow down gradually and prepare
   When you know your holiday is about to start, don’t push until the last second, don’t go “from 100 to 0”. Focus on the main (most urgent and important) tasks and leave the other things for afterwards. Often, before the holidays we tend to think we need to “quit administrative to do’s from our list”. If you haven’t completed it during the last months, now is not the moment for it. Let your body slow down and get into the holiday mood with activities you enjoy. Talk about the upcoming time off (and trip) with your colleagues, friends, family, etc. (instead of talking about all the to do’s) and let the excitement and relaxation expand.
   Prepare your workspace and home:
   • Make a list of the things/tasks that are important for once you get back and store this list where you can find it. You are well prepared. Now you can (try to) forget about it.
   • Prepare your back-up with colleagues / create an out of office response etc. Include self-help guidelines or tell your clients/colleagues/stakeholders up front where they find help so that you know you really don’t need to be there, they will all be fine.
   • If you work from home (even if it’s only sometimes): Store your computer, work tools etc. in a cupboard or a room where you don’t see them, so that you are not even tempted to look at them.
     
     
3. Be grateful for what you have achieved this year
   Whether this concerns your professional or personal goals, I am sure you have many and you have been working hard. You might have not achieved all your goals. But I’m sure other goals have come up along the way and you’ve accomplished them. You’ve done your best. Gratitude leads to positive thoughts and they help us to relax. Focus on the positive sides of your life (we all have negative sides and unfinished tasks in our life but they are present enough.) Tip: Do this as a 7-days-practice starting 1 week before your holiday and write down every day 1 thing/person/achievement you are grateful for. Take the time. You can be proud of yourself.
   
   
4. Look after your body and health during your holidays
   No matter what holidays you are planning: Listen to your body’s needs and look after it. Include healthy meals and snacks, keep moving daily (you might even want to try a new sport), fill up your energy with 7-8 hours of sleep, drink at least 2 litres of water a day, protect your skin and head from the sun in summer. See how your body really feels, at what time you actually want to eat, rest, drink, move etc. Your body is wise and will show you the way, if you let it. If you spend your holiday with others: find healthy activities together like hiking, water sports, walking instead of taking transport during sightseeing etc.
   
   
5. Connect with the present moment
   Whether you are spending your holidays at home, by yourself or with loved ones, on the beach, the mountain, in a new, exotic destination or at a place you always choose for your holidays: Connect with your surroundings, what you see, hear, feel, smell, taste. If you feel your head is still spinning around your responsibilities, go back to point number 3 (practice gratitude) and then through this point number 5 again. You can do it. (More insights: https://littlehealthyhabits.com/how-often-do-you-focus-on-your-7-senses/) If you have the chance: Connect to nature in all its ways as it has a fascinating, soothing effect on our body. Sit in the grass, on the beach, on the mountain, etc., touch or hug trees, collect fresh fruit or vegetables, walk barefoot as much as you can, connect to the earth. The same effect happens when you observe or get in contact with water – no matter whether it’s the pool, a lake, the sea. Our body consists in 70% of water and we are naturally drawn to experience it on our skin, especially in summer. If you don’t like swimming – put your feet in. Close your eyes for a moment and feel it. If you are traveling and sightseeing, take in the new landscapes, shapes, impressions and what sensations they give you. If you spend your holidays in a city, feel the air. Open the window, sit on a terrace, take walks outside, and feel the wind or sun or rain on your face.
   
   
6. Connect with your people
   If you share your holidays with your loved ones or any other companions: Take the time to be with them, talk to them, listen to them, play with them etc. This means (hopefully) a bit more disconnection from social media, electronic devices, the daily news, the daily hassle, etc. You have probably planned this time for a while. If you can: Don’t use it to complain or discuss the everyday conversations and worries that keep you all busy (unless this feels good and relaxing). Appreciate the time and create new memories together.
   
   
7. Reset, take away and integrate
   When we finally slow down, we often break free from routines and this is the perfect time to rest. It’s closely linked to point number 4. Let your thoughts flow. Once you have “aired your head” from your everyday routine, you might have new room to think about your needs. Maybe you even create new, healthy habits. Take your learnings with you (What felt good? What activities did you most enjoy in your holidays?) and integrate them into your everyday life: your mornings or evenings, your days off, your weekend, until your next holiday comes. Remember: We need daily and weekly breaks to balance our stress levels. Maybe this time off has also given you new ideas regarding how you want to spend your next holidays and/or the dreams you have.
   (If you want to reflect more: https://littlehealthyhabits.com/how-to-become-aware-of-your-needs/)

To sum up: It’s not about where you spend your holidays but how you spend them. The secret lies in slowing down step by step, preparing body and mind, and taking enough breaks during your work periods, to fully enjoy to rest. Whether you are just before or after your holidays or whether they are still far away: Take the part of this article that most suits your current situation. A day off can also be like a holiday. Move as you feel and nourish yourself with the people, food and activities you most care for, take it all in. 24 hours of that can be life-changing. And if you are about to start a longer break: I wish you days of relaxation and complete presence with yourself and those around you.
What are your tips to fully enjoy your holidays?