Summer is in full swing! Like many others, you recently may have counted down the last few days towards your holiday. And then your days off are finally here.

Finally.

The fixed rhythm of alternating weekdays and weekends makes room for a week (or maybe even more) of well-earned rest. A time where you don’t have to do anything but concentrate on yourself and the people around you. 

But isn’t that a shame? That we keep looking forward to Friday? Or to the weekend? Or to a holiday? Because what about all those other days then? Those make up most of your life, so they definitely matter too.

Here’s how to hold on to that holiday feeling a bit longer, and transform it into a holiday mindset that you can carry into the routine of everyday life.

Hang in there a little longer…

A planned holiday can give you something to look forward to throughout the year. A goal you are working towards. Just hang in there, soon there will be time for relaxation.

Have you booked tickets for a round trip to the other side of the world? Nice! But we also want to warn you. As beautiful as Vietnam, Greece or the USA are, they are nothing more than popular holiday destinations. Leaving is not going to make you suddenly forget your worries, stress, to-do lists, etc.

A typical example are people who go on a world trip after a break-up from a long-term relationship in the hope of getting over their heartbreak. A different environment will certainly help in the coping process, but unfortunately heartbreak travels with you wherever you go. You can’t just escape it.

It works the same way with people who fret a lot, have endless to-do lists or worry about certain things. Ask yourself some questions. Do you really have a holiday feeling? Do you really use those holidays for relaxing and me-time? Or is it impossible to sit still because you feel you have to do something all the time?

The holiday mindset

Travelling to your dream destination doesn’t guarantee you’ll find inner peace. More to the point: to find peace, you don’t even have to go on holiday. Although, of course, different surroundings can be inspiring, you can just find your inner peace at home.

That’s why we prefer to talk about the holiday mindset. How can you experience that well-rested and relaxed feeling of a holiday at home?

Life is more than work

The holiday mindset starts with the realisation that there is more to life than work alone. Of course we ‘know’ this, but in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we sometimes dare to forget it.

When we go on holiday, and are therefore briefly removed from the daily rat race of work, this becomes more apparent. No ploughing through e-mails, making phone calls or sitting in endless meetings.

This makes us realise how busy we are every day and how badly we divide our time between work and private life. Because working long hours or answering phone calls and e-mails after hours also affects the time you take for yourself or your family.

That’s why you should take time to nurture yourself with things you enjoy. While you’re on holiday, dive into a good book, connect with the people around you or enjoy the surroundings. And when your home, don’t forget that the environment there also has plenty to offer.

Do you notice that the work-life balance is getting out of hand again? Regularly tell yourself how important relaxation and quality time are for you. That way, you train your brain to pay more attention to this.

Pick your battles

Do you want to have a tidy house, get your work done, find a fun activity for the kids, cook a healthy meal and have some me-time all at once? Then there won’t be much left of your holiday feeling. Suddenly you find yourself working through a to-do list again.

We often tend to take on too much, even on holiday. But then you can’t fully enjoy yourself. Therefore, choose each day what you want to take responsibility for. With the holiday mindset in mind, not everything can be done at once, so pick your battles.

Clearly agree with yourself how far your responsibilities go, and especially where they stop. At home, make sure the kids are in bed on time after eating a nice fresh meal. On holiday, regularly apply sunscreen on your kids and provide a nice meal on the beach. Cleaning up can wait. Yes, really.

Park what you can’t solve now

Isn’t it great when they leave you alone on holiday? No colleagues to bother you with all kinds of questions or problems! What if you took that holiday feeling with you into your daily life?

Of course, not everything is miraculously solved when you close the door behind you at work. You know very well what might be waiting for you when you return.

Only you don’t have to take your work home with you. Or worse: pack your work worries in your suitcase. On the contrary! Rather, ask yourself what you can change about the situation here and now. Is the answer ‘nothing’? Then you also have nothing to worry about.

Agree with yourself when you will pick things up again (mentally) or leave things for a bit longer.

Doing nothing is also valuable

“I am not good at sitting still.” “I have trouble doing nothing.” We hear these statements often. And despite the fact that people generally just don’t like to be bored, there is often more to it than that.

If we make our self-worth depend (consciously or unconsciously) on our performance, we are always tempted to prove ourselves. Clean up after all. Or fold the laundry. That way, you are always busy because otherwise you feel useless (read: inferior).

Yet this is unnecessary. You can also turn it around to: I deserve to do nothing right now. I deserve to experience that ultimate holiday feeling.

A different approach, but one worth thinking about.

Bring back your childlike curiosity.

There is nothing more wonderful to see than a child discovering the world, isn’t it? Too bad we lose that curiosity somewhere along the way and get stuck in fixed habits.

Yet we haven’t lost it completely. Holidays allow us to be children again for a while and discover new things. Just think of trips to the village nearby, a walk in a park or a visit to the market. Lovely!

And you don’t have to go far at all to discover new things. Even at home, you can get started with foreign recipes to try new flavours. Or how about a new book? Or a new hobby like painting or clay modelling?

New experiences can also be found in connections or friendships with others. Or they are the result of a deep relaxation of your own body and mind.

Do you want to master the holiday mindset?

Do you want to bring that blissful holiday feeling of rest and relaxation to your daily life? Are you done looking forward to the weekend or your holiday? Do you want to master the holiday mindset? Coach Cindy can guide you in this process.

Through various techniques, Cindy will teach you to relax, live more in the now and find peace. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.