The holidays are fast approaching, which can mean a lot of different things for different people. Depending on what your job is, this might be your busiest season or your quietest. Depending on your circle of loved ones, this might be a time to spend as much time with them as possible or as little as you can manage. Depending on what you believe, this might be a time to rejoice or just another cold few days. But wherever you are on the holiday spectrum, the end of the year should be a signal to take a little break.
About a month ago I wrote about my plans for hibernation over January, which includes a full month off blogging. I’m not going to advocate that everyone takes a full month off whatever they’re doing, because it’s largely unfeasible – I’ll still be going to work and taking commissions so for me it’s still only a partial break.
But I think the principles I’ve set out in my hibernation plan are a good blueprint for a break of any length this winter.
- Feed your body and mind – when animals hibernate, they build up big stocks of food to keep them nourished throughout the winter. I’m not going to build a pile of seeds and nuts, but I am going to try to look after myself a little bit better. I also want to take some time to just consume arts, and media, and new experiences, without necessarily having to create off the back of it.
- Put your feet up – this is the big one. I just want to sleep and relax. I don’t want to worry about scavenging for my next instagram post or my next blog idea.
- Slow your rhythm – animals who hibernate slow down their metabolic rate to survive not eating and being cold for so long. I want to take a bit of inspiration out of that and set myself up with a new, slower schedule.
- Set up your nest – I always imagine well stocked burrows when I think of hibernators and I want to take this opportunity to clean up my space a little. As much as I try to keep on top of things both my physical and digital spaces need some TLC and that takes time, and it takes being prioritised.
It’s always important to take breaks to recharge, and the end of the year gives you the perfect excuse. It also gives you the perfect opportunity to reflect on what you’ve achieved and how you might like to change your course, or batten down the sails, for the year ahead.
The switch over from December 31st and January 1st is a completely arbitrary milestone, and I often end up putting in my own throughout the year. But sometimes we need that external force to give us a push.
So rest up and reflect. I promise, no matter how busy, how festive, or how loving you’re feeling it will do you a world of good. We’re not sharks, we’re humans, and we need to stop sometimes in order to keep going.
