The year-end holidays are almost here. You can feel the excitement rising – but let’s be honest, with deadlines breathing down your neck, your mind feels anything but free. You’re tired, overloaded, maybe even fed up with a few colleagues. Sound familiar?
That’s your body and brain telling you, it’s time to recharge. Because here’s the truth – high performance doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from real rest. But the question is how do you actually switch off, relax, and disconnect so you return truly refreshed instead of just… less tired?
Good news; science has answers. For over 20 years, German sociologist Sabine Sonnentag has studied recovery from work. Her research is crystal clear – the most powerful breaks are those where you actively switch off, and immerse yourself in activities that are relaxing, mentally engaging, or physically challenging. In short, rest isn’t passive, it’s intentional.
Here’s how you can set yourself up for a real recharge this holiday season:
- Before the holidays, create closure.
- Make two lists: a done list to celebrate what’s finished, and a later list to park what you’ll tackle after. This reassures your brain that nothing is forgotten.
- Set clear boundaries: turn on a confident out-of-office reply (no apologies!).
- Declutter your mental space: write down any worries, ideas, or tasks so you’re not carrying them around.
- During the holidays, actively switch off.
- Escape interruptions: pick a few days with no emails, no work calls, maybe even no phone.
- Change your environment: even a one-day mini-trip or new routine helps reset your brain.
- Engage your mind: cooking, painting, playing guitar, reading, crafting — anything that absorbs your attention enough to push work thoughts aside.
- Move your body: walk, hike, swim, dance, play sports. Physical activity is fuel for both health and peace of mind.
This isn’t about being lazy. It’s about coming back stronger; with fresh energy to crush your goals, a clear head to solve challenges, and a light heart to collaborate with ease.
So this year, don’t just take time off. Take time back. Switch off. Recharge. Return unstoppable.
If you’re interested in this topic, two books I’d recommend are Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, which explores how deliberate rest boosts creativity and productivity, and Rest. Practise. Perform.: What elite sport can teach leaders about sustainable wellbeing and performance by Karen Meager and John McLachlan, a practical guide to using rest as a tool for sustainable high performance.
