Do you ever feel that the holiday has almost gone by before it has even begun? You have been longing to have more time with your family and for rest and recovery, to then all of a sudden realize that the holiday went by in a heartbeat and you find yourself back at work again - even more exhausted and wondering what happened to the holiday. Well, then you’re not alone.
So then the question is - how do we prevent this and how do we get the most out of our holiday?
STAY PRESENT
The number one tip is: presence. When you remain present in your holiday, you will notice more of your experiences and feel that you got more out of it. Leave work and future plans for a moment and allow yourself to just be. If you are finding it difficult to stay present, try a guided meditation or a focused-attention practice, which will help you come back to the present moment and be more engaged with your family members and your experiences.
CARVE OUT TIME FOR YOURSELF
It’s a given that Easter means some time with our family, time for good food, time for outdoor activities, time to go away somewhere.... I guess time for all the things and activities we don’t normally have time for. But having too many plans can overwhelm us and result in a fully packed schedule that leaves no room for what we really need - switching off and resetting. Try scheduling some time for yourself to do things that calm you down and allow you to switch off for a moment; maybe spending some time in nature, do a bit of reading, yoga or a nice walk. This will allow you to come back to work fully recharged and also enjoy more of your holiday.
ENJOY TIME WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
While it is important to have time for yourself, it is also important that you remember to make time to be fully present with your friends and family. These are the people who will give you energy and make you laugh, yet many times we tend to forget to actively listen to them and remain present with them, as our mind is wandering off to future plans. Practice active listening by putting away distractions such as smartphones or TV’s and keep eye contact with them, so that they feel heard. You will be amazed of how much more you notice.
USE MINDFUL REFLECTION
Use gratitude as a tool to re-center and to consciously reflect on your experiences of the holiday. This will allow you to notice more aspects of your experiences and to maximise your presence with your family by making you more aware. Try putting down your reflections into a gratitude journal, this will reinforce and help you become more aware of what you are grateful for.