It is called a holiday for a reason, but are you truly taking a break this Christmas? After what has most likely been the most stressful year to date, it is important that we are not only looking after our body, but we are also looking after our mind. The holidays should be spent with your loved ones, not glued to a phone screen. Here are our top tips that will help you disconnect from work and social media and truly appreciate what the holidays are all about!
DISCONNECTING
SET BOUNDARIES
This doesn’t just go for you, make it for the whole family. Rules like no devices at dinner, 30 minutes of screen time at night or starting the day with a phone-free morning routine.
GO GADGET FREE
Eliminating the time spent on the phone, laptop, or iPad opens up so many opportunities to spend time with friends and family. Even if you are just storing your phone away for a few hours, it can truly make a difference on your whole day! You’ll listen more, be more present, and you’ll probably enjoy yourself a whole lot more!
SWITCH OFF
It’s time to turn off those push notifications! There’s no denying it, every time you hear your phone ping, you are pretty quick to grab it and check what is going on. You’re not the only one, we are all guilty! Go into your settings and switch off all your push notifications, that way you won’t even be tempted to pick up your phone and check.
ALLOCATE TIME
I know it is a lot to ask to completely disconnect from social media, we live in a completely technologically driven world! So maybe give yourself an hour or so every day to check in with your socials, post a picture, reply to comments and respond to your messages. This goes for work emails also. Try to actually give yourself a break from all the hustle and bustle of your job (if you can).
LIVE IN THE MOMENT
Yes, photos are nice and a great keepsake, but maybe take a few and pop the phone away. It is much nicer to live in the moment and create memories than to be behind the camera.
CREATING A GOOD HOLIDAY MINDSET
TAKE TIME TO REFLECT
Take some time to look back on the year and some of the high’s and lows. What did you most enjoy this year, take note of it and make sure you implement it more next year. Maybe even make a habit of reflecting, try journaling your thoughts, or even practicing meditation.
FEEL GRATEFUL
There are plenty of good things in our lives—we just have to be intentional about looking for them. This also plays into your reflection (as mentioned above). Carry the spirit of gratitude throughout Christmas and into the New Year. Think about what you are most grateful for and maybe even share it with your friends and family, show them that you appreciate them and you are glad they are a part of your life.
MAKE MEMORIES LAST
After the holidays come to a close, frame some holiday snaps and put them on display to remind you of the fun times you shared with your loved ones. As work goes back also try to maintain some of the different habits that you enjoyed, things such as a family game night. Scattering little luxuries into everyday life, like a long bath or an impromptu beach trip, is good for wellbeing.
RELAX AND RECHARGE
Make sure you are using your holiday time to really relax! Take some time out and look after yourself. It will prepare you for the new year, so you can come back to work and hit the ground running.
We hope these tips help you rest, relax and recharge this holiday season. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the iThink Team. See you in 2021!
TAYLAH ANTONIOLLI – MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR