When was the last time you took a holiday?

Do you wait until the December shut down to take a holiday? When December hits it is as though something occurs to the way that timeframes, deadlines and priorities, which usually are taken in your stride, somehow seem to impact harder.

The annual shut-down of a business equally has an impact on the way that you feel and think. It seems to feel as though you are more tired and your tolerance is lower. However, it is simply the anticipation that the end of the year means a break from the day to day. Your brain and body knows that there is a shut-down coming and it equally goes into its own version of a shut-down.

What happens is that your mind and your emotions gather together the entirety of what has happened, what has been faced, the challenges and the successes of the year. This is what causes that feeling as though you are literally carrying the whole year on your shoulders. In a way you are.

However, the purpose of this is to prepare you to reflect, restore and revitalise for the coming year. The mind assesses what has occurred and how certain events transpired. Then this is compounded by the emotional reaction to these events.

The need of a holiday is actually a need to remove you from the day to day to enable the mind, and equally body, to rebalance and revitalise.

A break, a shut-down, a holiday, is not so much about going away to some glorious, tropical island; it is about giving yourself the permission to literally rest. This priority must outweigh the temptation of extra money for the simple fact, that if your body and mind did not need it, then you would not feel this way. It would be simply another day, another month and of no consequence.

Reflect on the past 12 months

My super busy time of June-August and by the end of August I need to physically and emotionally take a break from my business – so I do! Think about when you will, or should, be taking time away from your business. The week before, try this:

• Make a list of ten things that you have achieved in the past 12 months – big or small. Next to each one, make note of why you classify this is an achievement to you.
• Then on the next page write down a list of ten things you want to achieve in the coming 12 momnths. This is not to be taken as a New Year’s Resolution. It is to be considered part of your actual goals – be it work or personal. Next to each one, make note of why this will improve where you are right now.

Every time you acknowledge your achievements and why this is of relevance you are validating that every effort that you have made was for a good reason and equally, substantiates that what you do matters – to you and your life.

Every year that you reflect and plan, you are preparing your mind and your body for the coming 12 months with excitement, not pressure, as these ten things are going to happen to some extent anyway. However, with a bit of focus, you can create a much bigger impact and better results.

When this has been done, you will find listening to your mind and your body is more obvious and easier to hear. The more you listen, the more you create the opportunity in assisting you to perform optimally throughout the year, for the whole year.

When the annual shut-down occurs and you feel the pressure of the year sit upon you, then you know that it is time for you to shut-down too.