For freelancers, taking a vacation can be quite tricky. When you’re freelancing, you don’t necessarily have strict working hours; anytime can be time for work. The same goes for vacation time, the formalities are less when you decide to take some time off. The line between life and work can be blurry and that makes it easy to feel guilty about being on vacation. Sometimes even when we do, we find ourselves working still to alleviate feelings of guilt or to eliminate the fear of missing out. But taking a break is essential. When we work endlessly and refuse to focus on ourselves from time to time, we can fall victim to chronic stress. If you’re feeling frustrated, uninterested, and unmotivated at work, some downtime during the upcoming holidays can be really useful!
How to Really Take a Break on Christmas Holiday
Prepare.
Get ahead of your tasks so you don’t feel worried about going back to work! For example, you can schedule content early on using platforms like Buffer. If you’re taking some days off, especially if you have an urgent project or an important event coming up, it’s best to make sure things will be smooth sailing once you’re on vacation. Let your boss, coworkers, and clients know you’ll be out of the office to set their expectations. Set up an auto-reply for incoming emails to let people know you’re currently unreachable. This way, everyone knows where you are and you won’t be receiving constant text messages or phone calls!
Change your mindset.
While taking a break seems counterintuitive to lessening the work pile, it actually recharges our minds and bodies! When we’re well rested, we become more productive and efficient at work. Mulling the phrase, "I deserve this.” just brings a lot of what-ifs in our heads and we either end up not enjoying our break or not taking it at all. Instead, think about how helpful unwinding really is to your job!
Stop checking work-related notifications.
Turning off your notifications is a great way to completely detach yourself from a source of stress. Smartphones nowadays offer a lot of customization to pinpoint the type of notifications you want to receive. Here’s a quick tutorial! The more you expose yourself to happenings at work, the more likely you are to get overwhelmed with the thought of being bombarded with tasks once you get back. So unless it is a dire work situation, don’t get involved just yet!
Do something you find enjoyable.
This is most important. Whether it’s a two-day hike, a staycation, a beach trip, or just some relaxing time with family, do it! Christmas is a happy, lively holiday and that’s how it should be celebrated.
To Conclude
We hope we’ve given you the perfect nudge to finally get your Christmas holiday plans on track! Taking a break doesn’t mean you’re putting off responsibilities, it just means you’re practicing proper self-care and dodging a potential burnout. So don’t hesitate to keep your stress levels at bay and unplug!