When is the best time for self-employed people and entrepreneurs to go on holiday? When the time is at its quietest: in the middle of the summer holidays. When most people go on holiday. Even if it is financially unattractive. But then things are generally a little more relaxed.
Work does not make you ready for holiday
Incidentally, it's not so much the work itself that gets me ready for a holiday. It's much more the whole thing: having to organise things, making arrangements, the train being late, getting to the plane on time. That really stresses me out. The trick is to keep finding solutions to take the pressure off.
The key to switching off
Relief is also the key to everything. Especially switching off in your head. I realise that myself, even though I have routines and rituals. I need certain times to wind down. Especially after travelling, I take an hour or two just for myself. In a hotel, I always choose a room with a balcony so that I can sit outside. I do a short hypnosis in the evening to wind down. But I also need time to read, drink hot water and do a few physical exercises.
Plan your holiday
I tell my customers on the audio track over a longer period of time when I will be away. That helps with the preparation. This year it's simple: when the Olympics start, I'm out. As a psychologist, I accompany the national rowing team and want to be available for them. I have great respect for the athletes' performance - and I want to honour this by being available. Paris is my fourth Olympic Games - and I'm always free when the rowers start.
A contradiction in terms
Not all holidays are the same for me. I sometimes take a working holiday to support the rowers from afar. Or I take a writing holiday when I'm working on a new book. I can't be creative under time pressure. That's why I take an official holiday. Even if the term working holiday is a contradiction in terms.
Feeding body, soul and spirit
A holiday means: I get off the hamster wheel. I do something that is good for me and gives me freedom. Some people go on a boat, others go camping. Some go far away, others don't want a long flight. Everyone has individual needs. Some go hiking, others want to go to the beach. Everyone has something to nourish and feed their body, soul and spirit. Self-determined. Provided that people realise what is good for them.
Think the thoughts I want
Switching off has to do with which holiday you prefer. Switching off means being able to think the thoughts I want to think. In the length and depth that I want. That's usually not possible in everyday life. I don't have time for many things - not even to process them mentally.
A preserving jar full of ideas
You can learn to switch off. I practise this regularly with my coachees. I often recommend putting down a jar of sweets or preserves and writing down ideas that help you switch off. If you don't know how to switch off at the moment, draw a piece of paper and read: "It's good for me to paint." "It's good for me to cook." This starts at the behavioural level. If it still doesn't work, we go deeper. That's what I do in my deep work coaching. We work on fears or beliefs in a sustainable way.
Leave work at the office
I recommend not taking work with you on holiday:
- Please work through topics that have time pressure beforehand.
- Communicate your holiday and how long you will be away for well in advance.
- Whether and how you can be reached.
- Think about what is good for you.
I, for example, need time without emails so that my thoughts don't wander. I only check my emails in the morning - but no more during the day. I can only be contacted in urgent emergencies.
Be in the flow
If I follow all this for myself, I can switch off more quickly on holiday - and I don't let myself get stressed immediately after my holiday. To make sure I don't drain my batteries on the first day, I used Deep Work Coaching on myself. I found out exactly what stresses me out - and why. I then fixed that. Since then, I've benefited from my recharged batteries for much longer: I'm more enthusiastic, I'm in the flow, I have a certain lightness - and when I'm late for a train, I think: who knows what it's for?