How to Avoid Being the Grinch Who Steals Holiday Relaxation
We’ve spoken in the past about the importance of unplugging from work, especially during a year where the post-pandemic era has completely warped our sense of time. A year where the days have blended together, and the months have lurch ahead. I mean is anyone else wondering how it can possibly be December 2023? And how the holidays can be just around the corner?
Just like everything else in our lives, the post-pandemic era will have a huge impact on the holiday season. Our celebrations are going to look different from the year’s past and there will be no getaways to our usual vacation haunts, which means as leaders it will be more important than ever to actively step up and support your team in truly recharging during this downtime.
Why rest and recovery is just as important in the workplace as it is in our personal lives
Why is creating a culture of rest so important? Beyond increased engagement, happiness, and performance, encouraging your team to take breaks shows that you’re a leader who values whole person development. It honors that you see your team members not just as people who serve you in the workplace, but as people who have important lives outside of the work you do together. People who in addition to being an employee, might be caring for children, caring for elderly parents, grieving, celebrating, and who are worthy of taking time outside of work to reset so they can show up in their jobs and their lives as their best selves.
Why Rest and Recovery is More Important Now Than Ever Before
The best way to encourage your employees to take time off this holiday season is to lead by example. Often, team members feel pressure to mimic their boss’s behavior. This means, if you’re telling your team to unplug while continuing to send them Slack messages and emails, you’re sending the message that you don’t actually value taking time away from work. This year, not only do we recommend truly unplugging yourself, but loudly announcing to your team that you are doing so. Let them hear you say how important it is to you to invest in time with your family and friends, to shut down, and to come back refreshed in 2024. Looking for a little extra literature on the topic? We love the above article from Thrive Global which dives into the benefits of rest, especially when navigating a pandemic.
We have so many exciting things in store for you come 2024. Before we take a break ourselves, this month we’re busy behind-the-scenes making sure that we’re able to give you the whole person development each of you so deserve. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we roll out some exciting challenges, announcements, and reflections. In the meantime, we’ll be busy celebrating the holidays with our incredible Activate members. Thinking about joining us? Book a call to see if you could be a fit.
To recharging so we can be merry and bright,
— Carrie and Team Leadology
