Woop! Woop! December is here and for most of us, it signals the end of an era or chapter. It isn’t uncommon to hear someone exclaim, “Can this year end already!” The exclamation sums up 365 days of toil and the person thus looks forward to a New Year hoping that whatever he went through in that year will be left behind.
The other thing with December, and which most people look forward to, is the holiday between Christmas and the New Year, short as it may be. Others preserve their leave throughout the year so they can make the holiday longer and with good reasons. Who doesn’t want to start the New Year rejuvenated and on the right footing?
And what better way to rejuvenate than taking a restful break from the hustle and bustle of life? It’s been a long year of deadlines, incessant emails, ringing phones and annoying traffic.
Many are the times you have slumped on your seat at home and dozed off as the day’s demanding activities take a toll on you, not to mention the red eyes from sleepless nights trying to figure out that problem at work. Worse still, you might be a workaholic and the idea of a minibreak during the year sounded ludicrous. Well, here is a chance for you to recoup your energy levels for the year ahead. You will need it.
The disadvantage of going for long without taking a restful break is that you will wear out physically, emotionally and psychologically, which puts you at a health risk. It is thus important for us to take a rest, not just at the end of the year, but whenever we are tired.
On that note, even at our workplaces, it is recommended for one to take regular breaks during the day. A meaningful and rejuvenating break will call for you to completely switch off from the work at hand and do something that does not require concentration or willpower such as browsing through the Internet, reading a magazine, taking a walk or a brief chat with a fellow employee.
Ironically, it is during the most demanding time of your day, that moment when a break is the last thing on your mind, that you are required to take a break to prevent yourself from becoming exhausted.
The benefits of resting are many and varied. At work, rest decreases the tendencies to make mistakes as you are able to focus better and when work is done properly, you will be at loggerheads with your managers. You also decrease the risk of becoming lethargic meaning you are in a better position to complete tasks on time.
By resting, you also reduce stress-induced diseases such as hypertension, migraine and stomach ulcers. Rest also enhances your frame of mind enabling you to be more friendly and fun to be around with instead of snapping at everyone and everything around you because you are tired. You will also be good-looking as there is nothing attractive about a tired face with baggy eyes. Rest also facilitates better eating habits.
Resting gives you time to do things you love such as spending time with your family and friends. And, God knows, nothing is as rejuvenating as spending quality time with those you love. We urge you, therefore, to take a restful break this holiday season. The following activities may help you do just that:
Read a book or novel Be in a natural environment Spend sometime alone Listen to music Do nothing in particular Take a long, leisure walk Daydream Watch TV or catch up with the latest
series Meditate
Sleep better
Buy a copy of the December issue to read this and many more
Fashion9 years ago