We are well and truly in the midst of summer holidays now. Holidays are precious. For most of us, a holiday is the only time in the whole year that we are able to switch off and calm our nervous system. They are also an invaluable opportunity to have the time and space to really connect with our family and friends, and to nurture our relationships properly. A proper break allows us to do the things that really matter; to move our bodies, to rest properly, to sleep well, and to spend much-needed time on self-care. They also give us space to explore and experience new things, to be curious and have adventures, and to stop, slow down and get perspective over our lives.
Ironically, these are things that really make life meaningful, happy and fulfilling – yet modern work life, unfortunately, often gets in the way.
A holiday isn’t just a holiday; it’s a vital source of reset, recovery and renewal – and we should treat them as such. We need to ensure we have enough of them. This doesn’t mean we have to spend lots of money, or make them extravagant, or put pressure on ourselves; we just have to ensure we have a holiday from the mundane, stressful parts of life. And that can, in fact, be created by a change in our mental attitude – and by creating concrete boundaries around work.
