Written by: Mila Trezza, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Holidays can be tough, especially for working parents. Whether it’s a few days or an entire week's escape from the office, there are just a lot of to-do lists that add up and overlap around year-end, often leaving many with a sliver of time for the truly happy moments of the season.
But what if we choose to dial down some of the stress and make our Christmas breaks more enjoyable?
I've put together six ideas to help craft a break that we don’t just go through but one we look forward to and savour at the end of the year.
1. Focus forward
Flip the page. Resist ruminating about all you haven’t achieved in 2023. Instead of dwelling on any unmet goals or what you could have done differently, take a moment to lift your head from the year-end reports and look forward to something exciting.
Picture what you now have the opportunity to do, achieve, build and wish to commit to. It’s not just more exciting; it’s more likely to happen!
2. Treat yourself to a little (or big) slice of holiday bliss
Amid your office cut-off deadlines, last-minute tasks, present-wrapping chaos, and school carol concerts, don’t forget to carve out a special moment just for you.
Whether it's a few hours micro-holiday, a half-day, or a full day, create something that truly lights you up—hike, run, read, play, connect with nature—whatever makes your soul sing.
Make a pact with yourself to think and speak only positive thoughts during that time, leaving negativity at the door—no exceptions. Your well-being deserves this commitment, and you might discover you’d love to incorporate more micro-holidays in 2024.
3. Keep expectations realistic
Be realistic with your break expectations. This applies to how much you’ll get done before the Christmas shutdown and those magical family moments. Family dynamics do not turn perfect just because it’s a holiday – haven’t we figured that out long ago?
One suggestion: jot down everything you aim to get done before your break. Run a ‘what if’ test.
Now, read it out loud: Do your expectations sound realistic or more like veering into the ideal realm? What is urgent, and what is important to you? Set your out-of-office response generously. Holidays are the time when we can shift from the plural form of ‘priorities’ to focusing on ‘our priority’.
Also, try envisioning your Christmas day. We need a realistic balance between rest and productivity for our breaks to be enjoyable. If your expectations lean towards the idealistic side, would you like to dial down some effort and sprinkle in more enjoyment?
4. Find balance between work and family mode
In the office, it’s all about being productive, completing tasks to the best of our ability, and achieving targets. But when it comes to family, the game changes—it’s about togetherness (which is, per se, meaningful), being present (not being productive), and enjoying (not achieving).
Let’s break it down with an example from the holiday season: Baking a cake with our children. Delivering the perfect cake and leaving the kitchen spotless is not a goal. It’s about the joy of baking and having fun together, pausing house chores, with the added bonus of enjoying whatever edible outcome we produce!
Navigating smoothly between these two worlds requires awareness and intentional actions, but we often take the transition for granted and overlook it. So, consider building a buffer time—a break, a leisurely walk, or a quick exercise session—when transitioning between your two (radically different) modes.
5. Shake the holiday tree and try something a little different
Shake things up and infuse a dash of novelty into your routine. Amidst cherished traditional moments, maybe finally explore that place you always passed by but never visited.
Take a day or half-day to volunteer, giving time and care instead of things. Pen an appreciation card to that neighbour who got all your deliveries during your office days.
To emerge energised after your break, you may also wish to reconnect with loved ones; how about visiting a friend you have lost touch with over the years? Or surprise someone you hold dear with a homecooked meal?
6. Reflect on stress triggers and what brings you joy
Can you nail and shift something about what clutters you most this year? Is it a work deadline or the chaos of the December (extra) multi-tasking?
Whatever fills your cup, treat it as your personal Christmas gift. A special moment for yourself to safeguard and savour slowly.
Because, after all, it’s these moments that will transform your non-working day into a holiday.
Mila Trezza, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mila Trezza is a former General Counsel of a Fortune Global 500 energy company and an award-winning executive and leadership coach. Her company was named one of the Top 5 Executive Coaching Companies in the UK for 2023.
After more than 20 years of international experience, having served as Director of over 30 companies, and lived in six countries, Mila developed her approach to coaching with the sensibilities of a lawyer in mind.
Her mission is to cultivate a coaching culture for the legal industry that is bespoke to, and has an inside-out understanding of, the challenges that lawyers and legal teams face on a daily basis.
Legal professionals play a central role for the organisations they serve. Yet, little of their training prepares them for building the confidence, relational skills, and emotional agility needed to persevere and succeed. Through her coaching, Mila helps lawyers go from lacking confidence and feeling overwhelmed to having a clear path forward, feeling resourceful, and enjoying their roles.
In addition to running her own business “Coaching Lawyers by Mila Trezza”, Mila acts as expert advisor and consultant for leading global companies.
