Sad fact i hate the holidays
Not everyone is pleased to be on holiday. This time of year is usually financially hard for most people who are self-employed. I should be resting easier this year, however, because I don’t have that issue as I moved my business to a 70% more online business—I am consistently making money, even while I sleep.
But that hasn’t made me like the holidays any better. You see, I just don’t cope. I go into a depression every year at this time and it stems from having NOTHING to do. Sad Fact I hate the holidays.
All year, I am incredibly busy, always on the move, and I live my life though the appointments in my calendar. Back-to-back meetings, gym appointments (even when I should drink water). This type of work load isn’t for everyone, but it is for me. I love my work, I love my clients, and I love the thrill of the go, go, go.
So the day I stop all hell breaks loose (in my head) because I have nothing to do.
I don’t know what to do with myself when I have nothing scheduled, no meetings, nothing in my calendar. With the lack of activity, I end up curled up watching Netflix wishing I was working.
This happened every year. This year, on talking about it with others, I have found I am the not the only one. So many others are out there struggle with stopping.
Of course, we all know we have to stop—take time out to read a book (not a business book, so I am told) or go lay on the beach side (with your planner, planning out your year). But these are not true stopping activities. Such activities look more like putting those phone(s) down and shutting down your laptop (versus putting it in sleep mode). Sleeping in, relaxing and just doing nothing.
I know. It is incredibly hard.
Oh, and the guilt we feel when we wish we were working. The guilt in knowing I should be doing this or that. Thinking “but it’s a perfect down time to write up this or that….”
I have had to be drastic because, when I stop, I get depressed. Crazy, right? I just do.
So this year I changed it up. I have made note of my triggers and I now know the key is to not stop 100%. So I did put a few things in my diary. I organised outings, picked a time to go to the movies, pencilled in time to catch up with friends and booked which beach we would be attending on each day.
I scheduled in one hour a day of work time to clear emails (only if I felt I needed to), write a blog post or get my next podcast episode out.
Over the years, I have been judged for being this way. I’m an “overachiever”, I work too hard, I will kill myself if I don’t stop…and so on and so on. It isn’t about what other people think you should do. It is about making sure you have the balance you need to get yourself through.
I love to work and during the year I have a lot of time off where I am travelling. Some days I work only a few hours where others I work well into the wee hours of the morning. So I am not stuck in a nine-to-five job where my only break is at the end of the year.
I choose to live this way and I know my limitations. I’m a workaholic and I love it. I know what works for me and I have adjusted things so I can cope now.
Remember, there is no right way! That’s the key. We are all different and we all have to find what works for us an individuals. What works for me might not work for you, but that’s ok.
