"We were standing on the edge With the sand under our feet We felt like we'd made it…. And it feels like summer
And it feels like summer"
Feels Like Summer by Samuel Jack (click here to listen)
Photo by Solstice Hannan on Unsplash
“Instead of pondering where to go, how long and what to do there, focus on the things that really matter: a smooth start of the vacation period, mental disengagement from everyday worries, pleasure and autonomy during the holiday, a memorable end of the vacation period and a gradual return to work.”
Jessica De Bloom
Regular readers would know the benefits of taking a complete break from work (click here for my past blog). As an Australian the summertime always signifies a time to switch off recharge and refresh. Personally, I have a lovely bonus this year, as our puppy Nala loves cooling off at the dog beach. Her exuberance begins as soon as she can smell the salt water and it is rather contagious. Summer for me is a wonderful assault on the senses, it is hard to avoid:
Looking at sparkling lights;
Tasting juicy fresh fruit and refreshing ice blocks;
Feeling sand between your toes and the warm rays of sunlight on your face;
Smelling sunscreen, aerogard, or the neighbour's BBQ; and
Listening to the deafening shriek of cicadas, the boom of fireworks, or upbeat Christmas songs on the radio (click here to listen to the ones I have added to the blog playlist).
Dancin' in the moonlight
Everybody's feelin' warm and right
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancin' in the moonlight
Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader (click here to listen)
Irrespective of where you are in the world, what season it is and how much time you have off, every so often try to incorporate a short pause in your day, stand completely still and tune all your senses into the world around you. Researchers have found that incorporating this this short pause in to your life will have a positive impact on your wellbeing.
“A completely detached employee is able to stop thinking about work related issues, is no longer bothered by work related negative emotions, and is able to shake off physical exertion from work”
Jan De Jong
Final thanks
Early in 2020, I made a commitment to blog weekly on topics relating to leadership and wellbeing. Thank you all for reading and commenting on my ideas over the past two crazy years. Your support inspired me to ensure I made evidence based leadership and wellbeing research accessible and fun. Thank you also strengthening our connections despite the various restrictions we all faced.
Wishing you and your loved ones a relaxing summer, good physical and psychological health and all the best for the new year.
As always please be in touch if you or anyone in your network would
benefit from coaching or if you want to just catch up.
References:
https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-28/august-2015/making-holidays-work