Success is a combination of many things. Part of it is ideas, part of it is following direction, part of it is taking initiative, part of it is reaching goals, part of it is about your team or support system, part of it is about getting things done, and there’s another part that we don’t always remember as being influential in our success journey, and that’s knowing when to stop and when to take a break.
The holiday season both adds a lot of stuff to our plates and gives us the opportunity and encouragement to take a step back and relax a little. I’ve noticed more this holiday season than ever that people aren’t sending a lot of emails and messages over the weekend, but instead are doing other things like going places with families, doing holiday things at home or just plain taking a break and watching holiday movies.
Sometimes the only thing you can do in both life and for success is keep pushing forward and keep taking action, or else you’ll end up under a pile of stuff deeper than some people’s email inboxes and you’ll never be able to get out. But it’s not healthy or sustainable or smart to live or work this way forever. Our bodies and brains aren’t designed to be “on” all day every day. They need the recharging as much as everyone around us needs us to take a step back occasionally and take time off.
Maybe you can’t get away for an extended vacation in the near future or can’t spend lots on gifts this year, but you should be able to give yourself and those in your life the gift of a break. Try to take at least almost the whole day, one day a week off, or even all or most of two days each week off and do things that aren’t work related, and especially are fun, seasonal or relaxing. You’ll find that you’re more motivated during the rest of the week to get stuff done, and more prepared to move into the new year that is almost here.
What are you doing to relax and enjoy life this holiday season?
Laura Dickey 