10 Things You Should Do Over Holiday Break

image from SheKnows.com

Holiday breaks are right around the corner, which means that everyone is swamped with things to get done in order to enjoy some time off. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the responsibilities of the moment because stress can be so overwhelming, which is why you should take time on your next holiday break to do some things you might not normally do. Check out some ideas to get you started so you don’t get back from your break and wish you had done things differently.

Spend Time with Family

Whether you’ve moved out on your own or are away at college, you’re probably going to be seeing a lot more of your family over the holidays. Look at it as a positive thing and try to spend as much time with them as possible. Get to know how they’ve changed since the last time you saw them and do things around town to make great memories you all can look back on.

Start Practicing Mindfulness

Once you’re officially away from any of your normal responsibilities, you’ll have more time on your hands and an increased ability to focus. That’s when you should start being more mindful so you can be present and enjoy every moment of life. Start habits like focusing on your delicious holiday foods while you chew so you can really lose yourself in the tastes, and try not to take any moment for granted. You’ll end up with a renewed sense of peace and purpose.

Try A Little Baking

You might think you’re lucky if you’re not the one hosting any holiday parties, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have to bake any desserts to bring to events. Use your new free time to practice easy holiday baking so you can go back to your usual life as a baking pro.

Spoil the Family Pet

image from DoggyDuds

Even pets have a regular routine that they can get tired of them, so show them some love over the holidays by taking your dog on extra walks or buying a surprise or two for your cat. They won’t know what the occasion is, but they’ll love the extra attention.

Clean Up a Bit

A responsibility that everyone’s guilty of letting slide is cleaning up when you’ve made a mess. If you’re going to be traveling, make an extra effort to clean before you leave. You’ll love the peace of mind that comes with returning to a clean home, and you might even be able to find extra space in your closet without trying too hard.

Get Exercising

What’s the usual excuse people give for not going to the gym? It’s that they don’t have time, but once you’re on break, time is all you have. Hit the gym or try some workouts that don’t require equipment to start a healthy habit that might carry over when you finally go home.

Polish Your Resume

image from CareersInPoland

Chances are good that you’ve gotten a lot done in the last few months, which is why you should spend some of your holiday time updating your resume. Think about skills you’ve learned or honed that would look good to employers, like typing faster than before or advancing in a language. You never know what might catch the eye of your next employer, so write down whatever you think is relevant to your future job.

Make A Dream Board

It’s one thing to be focused on what you need to do once you get on a break and have some space to reflect and look forward, but it’s another thing once you get back to your usual routine. While you have time on your hands, make a dream board to take back with you after the holidays are over. You can look at it whenever you need a reminder of why you’re working so hard.

Treat Yourself

Another big thing that gets pushed to the side when you get busy is self-care, which can come in almost any form. Think about doing something nice for yourself during your holiday break to remind yourself just how great you are. Treat yourself to a dinner and a movie, a new book or whatever makes your heart sing.

Catch Up On Some Zs

You probably went into your break thinking about all the time you could spend just catching up on your sleep, so don’t forget to do that too. But to actually get the sleep you need, you should read about how much sleep the body has to have so you don’t accidentally oversleep and cause problems like grogginess or exhaustion.

Don’t make the mistake of going into your holiday break without some ideas of what you can do with your new free time. Make a dream board of everything you want to do in the future or get around to cleaning out your closet. Whatever you decide, make sure it’s positive and productive, because while holiday time is meant for relaxing, the last thing you should do is waste it.