10 Tips to Disconnect from Work this Holiday Season
In a world that seems to value hustling over resting, disconnecting from work can feel extremely difficult. As the holidays approach, now is the perfect time to take a step back from your busy schedule and completely unplug so you can enjoy the season.
It doesn't always feel easy and honestly, for so many of us female CEOs, there can be a lot of guilt associated with disconnecting or taking a vacation.
We’re used to carrying the load and being superhuman. But the truth is, when we are depleted, no one wins.
Here are 10 tips to help you step away from work this holiday season so you can fully enjoy the holidays!
1. Shut down your computer + leave it in your office. It’s one thing to say you’re going to be off your devices and another to completely put them where you can’t reach them!
So leave those devices behind in your office - or at least somewhere you can’t get them easily when you’re supposed to be enjoying a holiday movie. If you work from home and don’t have a dedicated office, I bet you can find a closet or a drawer that will hold your laptop for a little while.
2. Designate a team member to be your point of contact. If you’re not a one-woman show, consider having someone be your point of contact in case of an emergency. You can rest easy knowing that a live human being will be responding to your messages. Don’t have a team yet? Just turn on an out of office message!
3. Remember that time off is actually good for you and your business. Taking time off allows your brain to recharge. Working with no vacations or time off puts you on the fast track for burnout - and no one benefits from a burnt-out business owner/mom/partner.
4. Create limits if you plan to log into your work. For some entrepreneurs, it’s hard to leave the office entirely for the holidays. If you do need to work, set a timer and specific limits for what you want to do. Once that limit is reached, you’re done for the day. No ifs, ands, or buts.
5. Communicate about your holiday plans. This is important for two reasons. The first is to notify your clients as soon as possible that you’ll be out of office. This will allow you to work ahead and be prepared to shut off that computer when your holiday break starts so you can truly disconnect from work.
You’ll also want to chat with your family and friends about your work/holiday plans. Take the time to talk about your work-life boundaries for the holiday season so they’re not upset if they see you check your email one morning. (Plus they can lovingly hold you accountable if it starts to creep into the “too much” zone.
6. Remove your work apps + notifications from your phone. Seriously, take them off! There is nothing that urgent that you need to see every alert on the minute every minute, so take the time to power down those pesky notifications.
Otherwise, every time you see a notification or new email, there’s a good chance you won’t be relaxing anymore and you’ll be stressing out about what it could mean or what you could be doing. Taking time off means a mental health break, too!
7. Plan ahead. Once you know when you’re going to be out of office, start planning for an easy exit. Pre-plan content and close out any lingering projects.
You may also want to plan for your first and second day back in the office. Remember that your first day back will be spent responding to anything that came in while you were out - so you’ll probably have less “work time” than normal. And that’s okay!
8. Set work boundaries and stick to them! If you say you’re going to be out of office, be out of office. Once you start sending messages or emails, your clients will feel it’s okay to do the same. Follow the boundaries you’re establishing so you can truly rest and recharge.
And if you’re messaging employees while you said you were going to be out of office, you could be contributing to a toxic work environment, because it could create expectations that they also have to work through their holiday.
9. Be realistic about how you plan to disconnect from work. Not every business owner is the same. Some of us need total silence to rest and recover, while others may want to be working for a few hours over their holiday break. Both are fine! Be realistic about who you are when it comes to work and your time off. This will help you manage and set boundaries, as well as combat your emotional expectations through your time disconnected from the office.
10. Give yourself permission to disconnect. The holidays are the best time of year to unplug and disconnect because most businesses are doing it, too - even big corporations. It’s pretty common to see places shut down or slow down, so cut yourself some slack! You’re not the only one ready to curl up under their cozy blanket with warm beverages this time of year. Lean into that and use it to your advantage emotionally.
Want more help to take time off this holiday season?
No matter how hard you work all year long, you deserve to take a breather and to feel refreshed going into the new year!
If you want more guidance on how to run a business out of a place of joy and fulfillment, join us inside the Upleveler Society. It’s a membership unlike any other with one goal: to help you find more joy and cultivate balance as you grow your business.
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