The holidays, that great time of the year when we tend to take things easy, eat and drink to our heart's content, and enjoy the company of our loved ones, are just around the corner, but the world seems to have changed somehow.

The greatest change we've been witnessing for a while now is physical distancing, meaning that the holidays as we know them, will also have to undergo some changes.

While some people are already planning online hangouts, others are lamenting the fact that this year, their list of get-togethers is considerably shorter.

It seems that after a very long string of holidays people have spent stressing over their schedules, this year, for once, we actually have a valid excuse to take things easy, officially.

Staying Productive and Being Relaxed: Is It Even Possible?

It is very possible. In fact, as long as we plan our activities well and still leave enough time to unwind in whichever way we see fit, everything will be fine. And more than just fine!

While a welcome break from our busy schedules is the greatest benefit of the holidays for many, still there are some points upon which we must touch - even when we’re off.

Basically, this means that the pending tasks should be sorted out properly, so that they don’t overwhelm us first thing after the holidays.

1. Draft Your Schedule

Obviously, the first thing in that regard, would be drafting a schedule. You don’t necessarily have to spend an enormous amount of time on it; simply stick to your business planner as usual.

Forget about multitasking or procrastinating during the holidays, too. Allocate enough time for each task and do be realistic. Of course, prioritization also remains valid as always, so just do the usual planning voodoo before you give yourself over to merrymaking.

2. Saying No Is a Good Habit

Many people are used to obliging others for one reason or another. Sooner or later, this practice is bound to wear you out, so learn to say no.

The best time to do this is actually during the holidays, as there are likely to be multiple event invitations around this time of the year. Remember that the holidays are about relaxing on your own terms. If you’d rather read your favorite book or partake in a little e-learning while wearing pajamas, do exactly that. Sadly, we rarely have enough time to unwind as much as we need, so the holidays are the right time to make up for that.

3. Stay Positive

While this may sound like general advice, staying positive is extremely important during the lockdown holidays. Let’s face it - no matter how much we struggle to make things appear regular, they simply aren’t.

If you don’t know how to be happy with yourself, you will hardly be able to be happy in the company of others, no matter who those others may be.

Put that way, only emergency measures should be able to ruin your well-deserved time off.

4. Stay on Top of Things

It’s quite easy to forget even the simplest of tasks during the holidays and it’s not to be wondered at. However, we come to the same argument again - whatever we do, whether it’s perceived as good or bad, depends on the standpoint.

Simply put, positive thinking will get you through the day no matter what you do, but if you neglect all of your tasks, you’re bound to feel guilty.

Let’s stick to planning as usual to maintain that competitive edge. If it will make things easier for you (as it indeed does for many people), draft a daily schedule, but make certain to leave enough time for everything, from work to leisure time to exercise.

Speaking of working out, though, don’t feel bad if you skip once or twice. As long as the time is used for some activity you enjoy but normally don’t have enough time for, it’s okay. Just make sure it doesn’t become a routine.

5. Be Productive in Everything You Do

Productivity is a state of mind as opposed to being an inherited trait, or so we like to believe. Just as you’ve learned to apply it for work-related tasks and internal communications, make an effort to apply it to everything you do. Even watching a movie can be done in a productive way; that is if you use your brain to draw quality deductions.

As a matter of fact, holidays present us with a great opportunity to test our abilities in all aspects of life. Because this is a rare occasion when we should be able to have enough time for everything (provided we’ve learned to say no), we can well test the limits of our imagination in the most creative of ways.

6. Yes, You Do Have Enough Time for Everything - Even if You Don’t Overdo It

Overdoing things is quite common for the majority of people during the holidays, so we’d suggest that taking things easy and keeping the bigger picture in mind are the best way to go about pretty much every activity during the holidays. And, you can still maintain your high-performance mindset!

This means: don’t stress over party planning or over what you’ll wear because, chances are, this time next year, you won’t even remember what you wore the previous year. Is stressing over your attire really worth it, then?

Approach all other holiday-related activities in the same way. Holiday shopping, for example, can be simplified. Why not order online? Or, better still, why not, for once, actually enjoy your shopping by taking things easy?

In a Nutshell

Basically, everything holiday-related tends to become stressful when there’s planning involved. Sadly, people tend to waste precious energy on things that, if you observed objectively, aren’t really worth stressing over.

What you’ll wear, whether your mother-in-law will like the desert, or if you’ll decline an invitation to a party you don’t really wish to attend, are not the things that should put pressure on you. Simply observe them as decisions that you would have normally made in any situation if you weren’t forced to think about appearances for one reason or another.

The holidays are the time when everyone should relax, enjoy their time off, and do exactly what they want to be doing. It really is that simple, so turn off your email notifications and enjoy yourself to the fullest.