It’s been a tough year of far too many things disrupting the normalcy we once took for granted. COVID-19 came with a rampage, and social injustices soared throughout the year. The election battle took over the news while remote learning and working from home challenged our daily routines. Things like sports programs and extracurriculars have dropped. Worse yet, people lost jobs, families disrupted, and bills are now stacking up. Businesses have closed, while the rent is long overdue. Lives were lost, and sadly, the death toll continues to rise.

It’s a lot to experience in such a short timeframe.

Though all these things are still relevant and continue to challenge us, the holidays are a time to reflect and recalibrate. And that means we must take the necessary time for ourselves, to be mindful of the present, appreciate what we do have, and embrace the possibilities of the coming year.

We’ve gathered a few of our favorite tips and exercises to help you become more mindful and recharge this holiday season.  

Get Comfortable with Unplugging

Most people actively plugin 95% of the day. No matter our age or time of day, we are all looking at our phones and staring at screens. We waste hours at a time rating other’s posts, watching videos, reading blogs and other content, or even reading the latest news. We obsess over how many likes and followers we got this week or month, and we overwhelm ourselves by answering hundreds of emails as fast as we can. The list goes on. 

If you’re of a certain age, remember life without a phone always in hand or not being glued to a computer all day? How did we manage, and could you do it today? Could you unplug and disconnect from screen time for an hour, a day, or even two days? 

According to several studies, unplugging has several benefits for both your body and mind. 

  • Better productivity
  • Greater presence and focus
  • Increase in creativity
  • Better sleep 
  • Decreased stress and anxiety

Though this list is not a revelation, actually committing to unplugging may take a miracle. It’s not easy, and you’ll have to push outside your comfort zone. You’re accustomed to being on call for others. Yes, you have work to do, and you have responsibilities. All of this is very important. But at the same time, discovering better ways to take care of yourself is just as important. 

Even with the work you do, the teams you oversee, and the businesses you run, there is time to unplug if you make an effort. I’ve asked many executives if they can unplug for any amount of time during the day. Most say yes, but only for a few minutes. I’m not sure that counts as unplugging.  

The holidays and the New Year provide an excellent opportunity to establish some new goals for yourself. First, try an amount of time you can manage and then extend it to a more challenging goal each time. It’s worth the effort if you can see and feel the benefits. 

Try Mindful Unwinding

Mindful unwinding is being present in relaxation. Yoga, stretching, meditation, and simple breathing are all excellent exercises for relaxing the mind. All these methods’ basic premise is slowing down—slow the mind, the body, and your breath. 

Similar to the idea of unplugging, mindful unwinding also comes with several health benefits. 

  • Heart rate drops
  • Breathing slows
  • Tight muscles relax
  • Stress levels decrease
  • Brain unclutters

Calm yourself to the point where you take that deep breath that inflates the lungs wholly and effortlessly. Other approaches to the idea of unwinding are taking a bath, listening to soft music, staring at the picture of a place that you love, sitting in nature, or simply resting in the dark.  

It only takes a few minutes to feel the effects of mindful unwinding, and it may take some practice as it can be challenging to quiet the mind that races. But, once mastered, you’ll wonder why you didn’t begin this practice earlier. 

Engage in Reflection

When you find the time to unplug and unwind, it’s easier to reflect. When you have a chance to sit down and consider where you are in life or the organization you are part of, more accurate and helpful adjustments can be made to alter the course or provide clarity to continue with a path if you like the current destination. 

For most driven executives and coaches of teams, constant improvement is the goal. In this case, some level of examination can bring new, creative ideas to help the organization. It’s difficult to reflect, though, without the other tips already listed. 

If you’re stressed, anxious, or too busy, reflection either doesn’t happen or occurs in a cluttered mental environment. In the days of micromanaging and multi-tasking, any amount of introspection often gets bypassed. However, once formed as a habit, reflecting can bring significant changes to teams and companies that benefit from the organization’s direction and trajectory as a whole.

Practice Gratitude

Gratitude is always a great way to unplug, unwind, and reflect. Contemplating and celebrating all the good things you have in life, large and small, has a way of recentering your mind and your heart.  

There are many ways to practice gratitude.  If rushed for time, then a quick 60 second, closed-eye gratitude quiet time is an easy option.  Others have tried gratitude walks, hikes, or runs. 

If more time is permitted, there are the gratitude weekend trips or retreats to help you be mindful of gratitude. Gratitude classes, both online and in-person, are also possibilities. 

Having an attitude of gratitude will help keep you centered and thankful throughout the holidays. 

Call Someone you Love 

Because of COVID, we may not be physically able to visit our loved ones. So, calling or video-calling our relatives and loved ones may be the best way to celebrate this year. Calls, especially to those who are alone on the holidays, make a difference to the receiver.  

It also gives you time to catch up with the people in your life that mean so much to you. Holidays are a time for celebrating family, friends, and loved ones.  

Think back on all the people in your life that made a difference to you. Maybe it was a coach, teacher, religious leader, youth leader, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or friend. Usually, we are where we are because of other people who cared about us. Calling one of them for the holidays and just touching base can be therapeutic for both the caller and the person on the other end. 

Do Something for Yourself

Taking a break is something many people put off because they’re worried or focused on other people and things. The holidays give you a perfect opportunity to do something just for yourself. If you’re looking for ideas, try binge reading or watching movies for a day, or taking a trip to a place you’ve never visited. If you can, go shopping, go for a drive through nature, try camping, or vacationing with or without other people. Maybe try something as simple as getting a sitter for the kids and having a long-overdue date night, or just relaxing by the fireplace.

Form your own list, pick one thing you really want to do, and then just do it. Commit to making time. Once in a while, you have to do something just for yourself.  

Bonus Tips

While these last two tips aren’t quite mindful exercises, they impact our mental health in an enormously positive way. Therefore, we think it’s critical to remind ourselves to embrace these simple things.

First, spend quality time with animals. Whether you’re a cat person, a dog person, or prefer some other small creature, engaging with your furry friends can do wonders for your mental health. Their unconditional love and enormous ability to read our needs make them brilliant instigators for joy and relaxation.

Second, don’t forget to laugh. We started this article by listing out the chaotic times we’re living through, but there’s always something more for which we can share a laugh or two. As you spend time with your family and friends, seek out those moments when you can recall better times, laugh about the silly stories and things, and do your best to be in the moment. That’s what the holidays are for, and it’s why they’re so important for recharging.

Holidays are a great time for self-discovery, self-love, self-pampering, and breathing. You are worth it. You work hard and take care of your organization, team, spouse, and family, but who is taking care of you? If you don’t do it, no one will. Amid your busy world, stop for a time and rest. 

Don’t miss those opportunities to refuel, celebrate, relax, and recharge. You deserve it!