HOW TO SWITCH OFF OVER THE CHRISTMAS BREAK

. ALONG SIDE ALL THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS & MERRIMENT, IS ALSO THE DEEP DESIRE TO RELAX, UNWIND & SWITCH OFF .

The Christmas period is my absolute favourite, it’s full to the brim with happiness, celebrations, time with loved ones, shopping and a general positive atmosphere thats like no other time. In my opinion, there’s not much not to love. But the Christmas period for me, isn’t just about Christmas itself, it’s also a time to unwind from work, take some actual time off to be at home with my family and friends, a time to truly switch off from the day to day, and relax ahead of the new year which is about to brace us. So as much as I like to maximise my Christmas fun (and boy I do) I also really like to use the break to truly detox after the demanding year gone by, and prepare for the adventures to come. So today I thought i’d share my top advice on how to switch off this Christmas.

For some, relaxing & switching off comes easily. For others it takes some serious focus, after all it’s hard to go from 100 mph and juggling too many balls, to quite literally having some time to do … well nothing! So today I thought i’d share my favourite ways to unwind this Christmas period, and some tips which hopefully might help you switch off and take a little break too.

#1 PUT YOUR OUT OF OFFICE ON

First things first, if you really want to switch off over the Christmas period, it means quite literally ‘switching off’. Putting your out of office on at the end of the year is essential. Christmas is one of the only times when I really feel like I can genuinely ignore my emails for a week or two (because everyones shutting down too), and so making sure I properly switch off before my christmas holiday is critical. The only way it works, is to be fully organised, prepared & disciplined. Before the year end, tie up loose ends with clients, finish off key projects, and let your colleagues and clients know in advance your Christmas whereabouts and availability. For me this year, i’ll be turning my out of office on at 5pm on the 18th December, and will be back ‘on’ come the 10th January (i have an extra long break this year, the hard year warranted a serious break). Once work’s done for the year then you can focus on relaxing & unwinding …

#2 GET ORGANISED

As I mentioned the only way to truly switch off at Christmas, is to get ahead of yourself before the big festive break itself. Aside from work itself, there’s also tons of other things on my mind to get sorted for the Christmas break, presents, my plans, preparing food & drinks, and of course my blog. Blogging everyday means I certainly don’t stop over the Christmas period, so taking a day or so when I finish work for the year, to focus on organising my blog, planning my content & trying to schedule some posts for the Christmas break itself is key. Once I feel organised and have a  few things prepared, i naturally feel able to switch off a little more & just enjoy myself. The key to getting organised, is to simply dedicate some time to it.

#3 CHRISTMAS SHOP ONLINE

Christmas shopping can be super fun, and at times super super stressful. We all know this. But one way to help make the Christmas shopping a little more relaxing & less stressful is of course to spend some time doing it online rather than tackling the madness of the high street. Of course it’s always festive and fun to hit Oxford Street, Westfields or your local city mall, but actually when it comes to crunch time & you NEED to finish off all those pressies (and you simply don’t have time to spend a day in town), try a little online shopping, actually I always end up finding far better offers & ideas online anyway, and it helps keep you relaxed & ‘switched off’!

#4 BE HOME

Going out throughout December is great fun, but after a while the non stop dinners out and Christmas parties with work, friends, family etc can take their toll (not least on your waist line), and so for me, at Christmas time & the end of the working year I always like to do a little festive do at home either for friends or family. It’s far more relaxing, and really helps you switch off a little from the fast pace world outside your door. Home made Christmas treats, the best festive music, and free flowing mulled wine. Its such a fantastic way to end the working year & really helps set the tone for what’s to come … CHRISTMAS!

#5 TAKE A PJ DAY

Once things are feeling organised. Then it’s time to seriously unwind.

There’s no other time of year when a PJ day feels justifiable (unless your ill or hungover, in which case you don’t get to enjoy it to it’s fullest potential), but at Christmas time taking an entire day to be home, to simply potter around with not a single thing to do is just pure perfection. My favourite is to spend the day wrapping presents, making mince pies, and watching all my favourite Christmas movies back to back. For me, PJ day is usually Christmas Eve, I love to spend the day in front of the fire, wrapped up in my warmest most cosiest home wear & generally just taking it easy before the big day itself.

So there you have it, a few of my favourite ways to relax over the Christmas period, but most importantly the key ways that enable me to truly switch off and enjoy the festive break. I’d love to hear about your favourite ways to relax at Christmas time & of course any tips you have on switching off too?