How to hold onto holiday zen!
Happy New Year!
For many of you, those holiday moments might be over and you’re already back to the whirlwind of productivity. Ah, the memories of sipping tropical drinks by the beach or hiking through serene mountains might feel like distant dreams now that some us are are back in the hustle and bustle of work. But fear not, because we're about to dive into a topic that's all too familiar yet often misunderstood: stress.
You see, stress is that uninvited guest that loves to crash our productivity party. It's not just a mental hurdle; stress has a knack for playing havoc with our bodies too which then impacts our mental state even more…it’s a catch-22!
So, let's unwrap this stress parcel and understand its impact.
Stress isn’t all bad
First off, did you know stress isn't all bad? A sprinkle of stress can actually be motivating, like that adrenaline rush before a big presentation. Or like me, a deadline to stress you into completing that board paper! But it’s when stress lingers for too long, that's when it gets problematic.
Physiologically, stress sets off an orchestra of reactions in our bodies. Cue the spotlight on cortisol, our body's stress hormone. While it's handy for that fight-or-flight response, having cortisol on constant overdrive can mess with a lot of our internal systems. It can really impact our:
immune system - did you notice you got sick quite often last year and weren’t resilient to bugs?
digestion - which then means you won’t take in the nutrients from the good food you are eating leading to potential deficiencies.
sleep - one of the most critical elements to good health. Prolonged stress can have significant impacts on your sleep which then gets you even more stressed!
hormones - particularly for those who are in peri-menopause or even menopause. Stress can really amplify symptoms.
It's like your body's personal chaos conductor.
How to bring that holiday calm into the office with you
Now, coming back from those blissful holidays, we often wish we could bottle up that calm and carry it back into the office. Below are a few ideas that are simple, yet powerful. If you are back in the office, give them a go! If you haven’t headed back yet…get these prepared for when you need to head back in, they will help!
Start slow
Don't dive headfirst into a tsunami of pending emails. Ease into work with a bit of breathing room, metaphorically and literally.
Take deep breaths; it's a simple yet powerful stress antidote. I love using the box breath. Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. Repeat for a minute or so. It really helps!
If you are facing a tsunami of emails, which will literally increase your blood pressure, you could do what a CEO colleague of mine does. After a holiday, he would delete all emails that were older than 1 week without reading them. His thinking was that if it is urgent, they will resend the email. If that is too harsh for you, try and set up your holiday autoreply to warn people you will be doing this. I must admit to having done this. The sky didn’t fall in, I didn’t miss anything and it felt goooood!
Keep the holiday with you
Keep a memento from your holiday nearby—maybe a piece of art or a photo. Put it on your phone’s wallpaper. A quick glance at that token can transport you back to the tranquility of your holiday spot, even in the midst of a chaotic meeting.
Oh, and let's talk about laughter! Humor is the superhero cape you need to combat stress. Share a funny story from your holiday adventures with a colleague. Laughter not only reduces stress hormones but also boosts those feel-good endorphins.
Stick to putting the mask on you first
On holidays we tend to finally do the things we love because we believe we now have the time. Like going for those walks. Starting to run again. Enjoying cooking. Walking in the bush. Playing a game of tennis. Or simply reading a great book!
One of my favourite shots of these holidays. Me flying!
I’ve said this before, it’s not about the time you’ve now magically found on holidays, it’s the ability to prioritise yourself. So be brutal about carving time for yourself. It’s not selfish at all, it’s critical.
Look at your diary now, it won’t be that busy yet. Block out the time every week you need to do the things you love. Even if it’s small, like for 15mins, or longer, say for 1 hour. Treat these diary appointments like any other appointment you have; as a priority.
Remember, stress might be that uninvited guest, but you're the party planner of your life. Embrace techniques that keep stress at bay, be it a five-minute meditation, a brisk walk during lunch, or even blasting your favorite song in the car before entering the office.
Put the mask on you first, keep stress at bay and thrive again!
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