Breaking the Holiday Hustle: Prioritizing Your Well-Being

Hello there, this week are talking about the Five mistakes that can sabotage academics' intentions of using the holidays for rejuvenation and realignment: The first mistake that we are going to talk about is Overworking During the Break or what we are calling breaking the holiday hustle. I’m Keondria McClish Boyd and having been in academia for years I became an academic well-being coach to tackle topics such as these and help other academics navigate these sticky situations in academia that affect our overall well-being.  So, there is an illusion of freedom of time in academia, because many of us aren’t tied to a time clock or a desk and the time can be flexed, right. Academics often bring their work home, check emails, or continue researching, which can prevent us from truly recharging and feeling like we are constantly on Sure, we want to have a productive holiday, but if we exert so much energy into doing all of these things, then we will feel burned out. This is a Break Time Blunder: Overworking During the Holiday!  🤯 Listen, We get it. The academic world never really stops and if that is the case, then when are you carving out some rest time? Rest is essential for recharging the mind and body. 📵 Disconnecting from work during the holidays is the key to making the most of your break and letting the people you care about know they are important. You don't have to disconnect for the entire holiday, but schedule some time to Let yourself breathe, relax, and recharge. Resist the urge to check emails or dive into research during these scheduled times. Unplug from work and reconnect with friends, loved ones, and even yourself.  I can hear you saying, but I won’t have time, I need to work, write, or whatever you can think of.  Let me tell you this, consider your priority and schedule the work, so that you can do both. There will always be things to do and things that can fill our time.  You don’t HAVE to overwork this holiday. There is a difference between overworking and productivity. Give yourself the permission to enjoy some of this holiday season doing something fun, that reenergizes you. You will thank yourself when you don’t overwork this holiday because when you return to work, you'll be even more productive and inspired. You will feel rested and rejuvenated.  So, if you’re watching this, share in the chat what you will do to disconnect from work during the holiday, not the entire holiday, but some of the holiday. And I’m holding you accountable. Let's support each other in prioritizing self-care! And if you need additional support, reach out to me, and let's talk about what that could look like💪  We all take life too seriously. People will run toward you when you are having fun and enjoying life. What can you do that you would enjoy this holiday? Bring more joy into your holiday and ultimately into your life.