Why downtime is crucial over festive season
THE festive season isn’t always the most wonderful time of the year for everyone.
While many wind down at this time of year, with schools and academic institutions on recess and most businesses closed, for some time at least, there are still many who are not able to afford the luxury of time off.
Emergency services, consumer services and the entertainment and hospitality industries are some of the businesses that are busier than ever at this time of year. In the past, it was rare to find stores open on Christmas Day, but now we have options, meaning more people are working on a day that was traditionally regarded as a day off.
While it’s neither realistic nor possible for a country to function if everyone went on leave, here’s why some downtime is vital:
Barely spoken of a few years ago, burnout has sadly become a common phenomenon. Burnout is characterised by physical, mental and exhaustion, lack of motivation and decreased effectiveness. Common causes of burnout include insufficient downtime, extended working hours, stressful working environment, feeling undervalued, conflictual personal and occupational values, work-life imbalance, ill-health, relationship difficulties, financial stress etc.
Not taking a break can take a toll on one’s physical and emotional health. It can lead to you hating your job, which may negatively impact on your performance and relationships with superiors and co-workers. Seeing others celebrating and revelling while you have to work may lead you to feel demotivated.
Even for those who may choose to work at this time of year – perhaps for financial reasons – the parties and celebrations continues.
It can become even more exhausting to have to work and fit in these social obligations with those who don’t have to wake up for work the following day.
As the year draws to a close, it’s a natural time to reflect on the year gone by… on challenges we’ve overcome, the gains and losses, the goals we’ve accomplished and those we still haven’t gotten to.
Not slowing down means there isn’t time for reflection. And if we don’t reflect on the lessons learned over the year gone by, we don’t really have an opportunity to use these lessons to plan effectively what we can improve on next year.
It helps to have a break to mark the end of one year and the start of the new.
Thank the year gone by for the lessons and welcome the New Year for the gifts it is yet to bring. Even if you don’t have a significant break, if you have a day or two, use those mindfully to fully appreciate the transition.
If working over the festive season is unavoidable, plan a break in advance, so you don’t feel stressed or resentful.
Discuss with significant others how to negotiate social invites to avoid unnecessary stress.
Plan little events to help you mark the end of the year and the start of the New Year. This will depend on your family structure and interests.
If going out adds to the exhaustion, stay-home activities like movie nights and board games will help the family feel closer.
Make sure you get sufficient sleep.
Plan your 2017 breaks in advance.
If you feel you are already taking strain, plan some leave for as soon as you can in January.
Be kind to yourself and reward yourself for your hard work.
Beekrum is a counselling psychologist. For more information visit www.rakhibeekrum.co.za