What NOT to Do With Your Time Off
Pretty soon spring and summer will be upon us.
That means more long weekend, holidays, school breaks and vacation time!
How do you spend your time off?
Do you commit to unplugging and unwinding; or are you still swept up in your list of to-do’s?
The most successful people, in their professional and private lives, are intentional with their time off.
Let’s look at four things NOT to do with your time off, so you can avoid these common mistakes.
How many of you have worked over a long weekend, during a day off or on a vacation?
We’ve ALL been there; and I, too, am guilty of tuning back into work life when I know I should be unplugging.
Make a choice to disconnect from your work world and focus on your personal life. If you really have the urge to be productive and get stuff done, do something around the house, run errands, hit the gym or help a loved one with a project.
If you can’t disconnect from work, you may need to take a look at what kind of balance you have in your life and readjust. Have you heard of the Wheel of Life?
In a way, this is sort of “cheating” because you’re still having an emotional relationship to your work.
Imagine being in the shoes of your spouse or a friend, and all the while you’re together, the other person seems distant, distracted and detached.
Commit to being more present in each and every moment. Work can wait.
Time off should be an opportunity for relaxation, peace and happiness.
If you’re spending your downtime stressing out about what you should be doing or the fact that you’re not working, you’re doing yourself a major disservice.
Be thankful for the downtime you do have. We all have busy, hectic lives; taking a break is a blessing, not a chore! Gratitude is life-changing in every aspect.
Now, just because you have downtime doesn’t mean you should ONLY laze around, pig out on your favorite foods and avoid all responsibilities entirely.
In fact, even during downtime you should have some balance between having a plan and being spontaneous.
For example, if you spend the whole weekend on the couch, binging on TV and ignoring necessities like going to the grocery store, doing laundry, paying your bills and so on, you’ll be playing catch up all week and reducing your productivity on what really matters come Monday-Friday.
Try jazzing up your errands or chores by doing them with a loved one, grabbing a coffee on the way to the supermarket, putting on some music or a podcast while you clean, or something else that allows you to enjoy yourself, while still getting stuff done!
In short, enjoy your time off. Let it rejuvenate and reward you for all your hard work, but don’t lose focus on the priorities that make your work possible.
How do you like to spend your time off?
Do you find it challenging to unplug and unwind?
Let us know in the comments below!