Be careful how you slow down

Have you, or anyone you know, ever “crashed” as you stop for the Christmas Holidays? Got sick as soon as you stopped work, then suffered through the start of the season?

Leaders are often “Type A”, working hard and (normally) loving it, “cranking out” long hours etc. To me, as long as they are loving it and find balance with life beyond work, all good!

However, often as soon as they “switch off” for a break, particularly around Christmas, they “hit the couch” and get sick with cold or other ailments, aches, pains. Not an ideal way to spend the holidays with family and friends, given that you may have neglected them for work and now you are not at your best to be present with and for them!

So, be careful of how you slow down.

If you completely “switch off”, your body may take that as a signal to “crash” and you may get sick. Instead, find other activities both mental and physical to keep yourself active as you “ease down” into the holiday break.

Ideas may include family rituals such as decorating the house and Christmas tree, it may be taking a walk or anything else that keeps your body active. Perhaps singing carols in a choir, playing board games with loved ones (or anything to keep your brain active at some level).

As a reminder of what can happen when we do crash, I share again a personal story of when I crashed at Christmas. It was bad, it was scary, I learned from it. My thoughts today are to bring you awareness so you can avoid something like: “The day I had a physical breakdown“.