Another holiday season is around the corner and most of you must have already lined up the list of things to do despite having depleted wallets. Yes it’s important to spend your hard earned money wisely but at the same time give yourself a well-deserved break.
A peaceful holiday to indulge yourself in activities that are closer to the natural rhythm of your life. After all - our ultimate goal in life is to live a happy and meaningful life. Now that the year end is fast approaching, it’s good to reflect on what you did during 2022; distinguish between right and not so right – learn from it.
Mind you; holidays also bring about tension and depression unless you manage it intelligently. Tensions are often heightened during holidays. The very same relationships we enjoy can also cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. Family issues, misunderstandings and conflict can intensify. So anticipate what can go wrong next time and avoid any potential experience that spoiled this holiday. You don’t want repetition of bad experiences - do you? Quarrel over what you like to do and what your family and friends like to do – ending up in invariable arguments leading to despair.
Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress during this holiday more than ever before. Prices have soared – the same things you enjoyed last year such as hotel stays, food, transportation and clothes etc, have multiplied by a minimum of three times. Travelling to destinations you love, the strain of shopping, visiting friends and relatives, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can make you really tired. Feeling exhausted increases your stress, creating a vicious cycle. You got to manage this consciously. If you let your productivity suffer, it will not only affect you but your job and business too.
Some try to celebrate with the intention of beating others – trying to outdo the others. Holiday destinations, food and accommodation, entertaining friends and gifts are areas where comparisons are made. Ask yourself if you know your capacity and want to do what’s right for you and avoid trying to outperform others to elevate your profile through social media and be at the losing end. Remember that one key to minimising holiday stress and depression is knowing what triggered them and taking active steps to manage and also learning from them. Accept that things don’t always go as planned – this holiday was no exception.
Avoid the credit card trap
You have had enough distractions during the year to take you away from work, even if you are the most dedicated employee and you simply love what you do. When distraction takes a hold of you, your productivity suffers and that leads to business burn-out. Loyal employees would be mindful of this and be committed to pay-back to the organisation if communication is properly managed. Most organisations could not do their best for their employees.
The new year should bring back all what the businesses and employees have lost due to the worst economic performance of the country and the related uprising of some segments of the society demanding sanity. ‘Rejuvenated you’ after a meaningful holiday should make a fresh energetic start that would help you enjoy a better holiday next time around.
Credit cards offer the convenience of buying now and paying later. The “pay later” scenario only works in your favour if you are able to zero out your balance before the next billing cycle. Try and avoid the credit trap altogether by spending within your means.
In our consumer-centric society, it’s easy to get carried away with material things. It’s important to stay focused on what truly matters about the season — spending time with the people who mean the most to you. It doesn’t cost anything to take some time away from the hustle and bustle and savor the special moments that come with the holidays.