A time for giving (yourself a break)

At the risk of sounding like every acquaintance you’ve bumped into in recent weeks, it’s hard to believe that it’s almost Christmas already. It’s been a wild ride of a year, packed with unexpected and historically significant events. There’s been a lot of change for us as a business too, with efforts ongoing to make Tenth Revolution Group an even better place to work and grow.

After all this, I couldn’t be more eager to spend some time off with family and friends. It’s tough to get everyone together these days, as our kids grow up and forge their own paths in other parts of the world. As a result, our own Christmas traditions have changed a lot recently at home; I don’t tend to spend Christmas Eve laying out cookies and carrots for Santa, for example, or desperately searching for the right number of AA batteries we’ll inevitably need the next morning when the kids open their new toys!

But whether they’re new or old, I treasure these traditions a little more each year. Though the bells and whistles may not be the same as they were when our family was young, having everyone together is definitely the best and most essential part of the whole affair. I even find myself looking forward to having the same old arguments about who gets which spot on the sofa and what festive telly to watch!

Whatever shape your own customs take over the holiday period, those dreamy days between Christmas and New Year also present an ideal opportunity to fully switch off from work and recharge. ?Admittedly that can be hard for some (including me) so here’s my own wellbeing tip to ensure you make the most of your time off: make sure the sound is muted on your laptop so you don’t get lured into checking ‘one last email’ before you wind down! We’ve all done it and it can be a killer… There’s really nothing like an Outlook notification to shatter a restful mindset.

Properly detaching from work mode also gives you a chance to reach out and check in with the people that you might’ve been a little too busy to catch up with during the working year. We’ve all got family, friends, and peers who are often in our thoughts, but not often enough in our schedules. And there’s no time like the next week or two to share a coffee (or a mulled wine), reflect on the year, and bask in the warmth of good company. ???

This is a special Christmas here in the UK, being the first we’ve enjoyed since Covid-19 restrictions were fully lifted. But there are still many other challenges confronting us all. The rising cost of living, widespread industrial action, and even the weather are throwing up obstacles, meaning for many, this Christmas might not quite be back to normal. Further afield, of course, countless people are facing a festive season of unimaginable hardships. My thoughts in particular are with our friends in Ukraine, who are facing (what will hopefully be their only) Christmas in the terrible shadow of war.

So, with freedoms restored this yuletide, I’ve decided to start another new annual tradition; one that helps me better appreciate the wonderful folks I’m lucky to have in my life. This year, I’ll be reconnecting with at least three people who I’ve wanted to spend time with recently but haven’t found the time to. Whether it’s in person, on the phone by the fire, or over a video call in a terrible Christmas jumper, I’m going to be concentrating on what really matters.

For me, that truly is the spirit of Christmas: switch off, reach out, and be grateful for what you have. And with that, I wish you all a truly joyous and restful holiday season!