How to Make the Most of Your Summer Break
Article written by Amelia Twiss, MPsych MISCP, Coaching Psychologist
The end of the year in Australia is the perfect time to take a real break from work. Many organisations close for longer periods over this time, enabling people to take a true rest from endless streams of email and career-related activity. Year end is also a great opportunity to refresh your lifestyle habits by embedding changes to your routine during your holidays.
So….put on your ‘Out of the office’ and soak up these tips on how to switch off this summer.
Really be “Out of the office”
One of the most important ‘self-care’ actions you can take for yourself is setting healthy boundaries around time off from work. Create a system so that you aren’t checking your work messages while on holiday. Set up an auto response on your email system letting people know when you return to work and that your emails won’t be checked during that time. If you have access to work email on your phone, disable this while you are on leave.
Refresh your lifestyle
Being out of your typical routine is an ideal time to create and establish fresh lifestyle habits. Combing healthy nutrition and daily exercise is one of the simplest ways to build your resilience and develop a strong foundation for wellbeing. Take care not to over-indulge in festive food and alcohol the break and reassess your lifestyle as you welcome in 2020. Increasing physical movement and integrating a Mediterranean diet is a great place to start if you want to improve your health and wellbeing.
Get connected….to other people!
Take a break from technology and focus on what the summer holidays are really about – spending time with friends and family. Think about ways to create more meaningful gatherings that build relationships, ritual and a sense of community. Connecting with others promotes relaxation and enhances creativity. Share your reflections on the year that was, and your plans for the year ahead.
Check-out from work, refresh your routine, and connect with others to make the most of your summer break this year.
References
Firth, J., Ward, P.B. & Stubbs, B. (2019). Lifestyle Psychiatry. Psychiatry. 26 August. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00597
Jacka, F.N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R. et al.(2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Med 15, 23. doi:10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y
Parker, P. (2018). The art of gathering: How we meet and why it matters. New York, New York: Riverhead Books.
World Health Organisation. (2018). Heathy diet. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet