Had a rough year? Really, who hasn’t!

You may be torn between just putting it all aside during the holidays, and frantically trying to make sure that 2021 will be different.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose.

Your R&R doesn’t need to negatively impact your success. In fact, it’s important.

Here are my 5 tips to relax now, and still ROCK 2021.

1. Create one or more rituals.

Rituals give structure to our time, especially our non-work hours. You may have a ritual of meditation, or exercise, or quality time with your family.

Creating a new ritual during your holiday time off will give special emphasis to your downtime. It gives you a special moment to enjoy.

It doesn’t have to be an activity that takes a lot of prep or energy – that’s not the point! Instead, use the ritual to savor something important to you, whether it’s your spirituality, your connection to others, or something else entirely. (NOTE: My blog post on Dec 27th will be about my favorite rituals, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!)

2. Know when you’re going to re-start.

If you don’t have a set time to restart your work, you risk procrastinating your start. Worse yet, you might start working over the holidays just because you aren’t really sure when you should start again.

It doesn’t matter if it’s January 4th, or December 27th, or some other date. Having a date and a time that works for you is what’s important.

3. Spend an hour before your holiday starts, planning your restart.

The best way to be productive after a break is to know what you’re getting into. Organizing your thoughts before your holiday starts will allow you to pick up without a lot of hesitation and confusion.

You might set aside these items:

• A to-do list for your restart dayA to-do list for your restart day
• A list of ‘New Year reach outs’ – new people to connect with
• A new intention that you’ll bring to your work in 2021

4. Make a list of the activities that refresh you the most (then do them).

Taking a vacation or break from work is only good if you come back refreshed. Because of lockdowns, you may have a very different schedule than you’re used to from years past. Just because you don’t get to enjoy your favorite holiday activities doesn’t mean that you can’t be refreshed in new ways.

Do you love reading novels? Grab a new one and spend a day tucked in a comfy chair.
Are you refreshed by holiday get-togethers, or spiritual celebrations? Create your own, over zoom. (For example, I’m hosting a Christmas Eve Candle Lighting for my friends and family – over Zoom!)

5. The only work when you’re ‘off’ is mindset work.

It’s tempting to get into work before your relaxation time is up, just to get ahead. If you find that you’re inclined to do that, there is one type of work you can do.

Mindset work. 

Clear out the fears that you’ve had for years, or the new ones that may have been created in 2020. Clear out the voice that tells you you have to get to work, and can’t relax anymore. 

Starting 2021 with a renewed and refreshed mindset will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself!

Here’s another gift: a musical selection from one of my holiday albums, back when I was a professional musician. Enjoy!