Most of the professionals now start enjoy the summer holidays, although some people have probably already started them before. It will be a somewhat special vacation. The Covid-19 crisis, the times of confinement, and restrictions on mobility have made this year a very special one. Possibly you have spent more time at home and with your family than in other years. Probably you will not make long-distance trips during these holidays and you will bet on some stays on the beach or mountain areas not far from home. It has been (and is being) a very tough year, so you should enjoy the summer holidays to the fullest. Here are some ideas that I commend you do during your vacation period.
- READ. You know that reading is one of my great hobbies. In this sense, a few weeks ago I published the post: Read (A LOT) more. Reading is great and holidays are usually a great time for reading. Reading will help you grow professionally, stay up to date, and discover lots of ideas, concepts … that will make you a better professional. Another great benefit of reading is that it significantly improves your communication skills. In addition, it is one of the most relaxing activities. And it should also be noted that reading prevents cognitive aging, dementia, and other mental illnesses. It is a great way to keep your mind in good shape. Every year I keep the 3 books that I feel like reading the most for my vacation period. This year the 3 books I have saved for my vacations are: Steal the Show by Michael Port, Get a F*cking Grip by Matthew Kimberley, and 48 days to the work and life you love by Dan Miller.
- THINK. For me, holidays are a great time to think. Usually, we are so focused on our emergencies, on the tasks to be carried out, on everyday problems … that we lose track of where we are and, above all, where we are headed. Holidays are a great time to recalibrate your compass. Find out when you are, how the current year has gone, what goals you had at the beginning of the year, and in what position you are to achieve them or not. Think about what actions you should take after returning from vacation to achieve the goals you had set for yourself. And I also recommend thinking more in the mid and long term. If you continue the same way, where will you be in 5 or 10 years? Do you like where you are going? What changes do you want to make? Take advantage of your holidays to think about all these issues. In your hectic day to day, it is surely very difficult for you to find the time and clarity to reflect on these issues.
- DISCONNECT. I sincerely believe that it is essential that you bet on disconnecting from your routines during these holidays. In this sense, think about how you can organize your professional challenges so that they work well in your absence. That you are as expendable as possible will be key for you to disconnect well. Solve your most important issues, leave everything well organized, warn that you will be disconnected for a few days … The better you prepare it, the greater the disconnection you can make. I also advise you to change your habits. Get some more sleep, eat better, do more sports, do more physical activity… During the holidays you no longer have an excuse for not eating well, for not resting more or for not leading a more active life. And you won’t get a good disconnection if you don’t control the technology. Carrying the cell phone all day with you, the laptop, and the tablet will not help in the disconnection process. Consider doing some “digital blackout” either total or during some hours of the day. Concentrate only your digital activity in some moments of your day and live without technological connection the rest of the day. They will help you get a great disconnect.
In short, 3 actions I find very interesting for you to get the most out of and enjoy the summer holidays. And I end with a quote that I love and perfectly summarizes what I wanted to share with you. It is from Bertrand Russell – British philosopher and Nobel Prize for Literature: “If I were a medical man, I should prescribe a holiday to any patient who considered his work important.”
