I work. Days without anything to fill them aren’t comforting. They cause dread. They stretch on and on and on. Vacuous, empty. A wasteland that can fill with sharp-tongued thoughts and a sense of guilt and failure.
That being said, empty days are needed. It’s important to rest the mind, body, and soul. I don’t doubt that. I simply have to find activities that move those parts of me but don’t involve “work.”
I also have to take great care with those empty days, the ones sometimes found during vacations and holidays. If I don’t, the haranguing thoughts come to visit. I work or look for work. I ignore the people who have come to visit. Resting is forgotten.
To survive the holidays and other days off, I practice some, if not all, of the following:
1. Put the devices away.
I’m actually pretty good at this one. I get tired of devices, maybe because I’m permanently attached to two of them. I purposely leave the phone at home for a couple of hours. I stick the laptops in cupboards. I hide any electronics that could enable workaholic tendencies.
2. Make plans with people.
Because the days are long without plans, I make them in advance. Movies? Outings? Let’s go!
I am, however, okay with settling in to watch random, dumb movies (Think B-rated sci fi and martial arts flicks.) on Netflix with my brother. It’s all about who’s present. With him, I plan for mindless movies. Others are the recipients of board and card games and puzzles. It’s all about the person and the plan. Obviously.
3. Do some baking.
I like baking, but I generally reserve it for when guests are coming to visit. The holidays, then, are the perfect excuse to do some baking and avoid some working. Who wants sugar cookies? Peanut butter with Hershey kisses? Triple treats or fudge? (Call me. Maybe.)
4. Exercise.
I’m rather self-disciplined about exercising three times a week. I tend to keep the same schedule during vacations and holidays, but I give myself the luxury of a break now and again. Days off are for sleeping late, even if “late” only means seven in the morning.
5. Go window-shopping.
I avoid this activity during the Christmas season, but it’s something I like to do, most often with my mom during a Mom and Daughter Day. (It gets capital letters because it’s an official thing in the Feldman household.) Plus, it’s an activity that can be done on any budget.
6. Look at Christmas lights.
I love Christmas lights. Piling into the car as a kid was one of my favorite things to do. It remains one to this day. I still like to get into the car with family or friends and drive through the neighborhood to see the lights.
7. Make something.
I have been described as a maker. It’s apt. I like to make things, be it a drawing, a painting, or a scarf. Keeping my hands busy settles my mind and heart.
During the vacations and holidays, I either make gifts for friends and family or work on some top-secret Write Right project. Then again, I could be plotting something new to make or do. Like I said, I like to make things.
8. Try something new.
Days off are when I try a new hobby or go to a new place and explore. Some of those hobbies—ahem, jewelry making—turn out to be the worst things ever. Others, like crochet, turn into lifelong hobbies. New places can be disappointing, but they’re more often than not the stages for wonderful adventures.
9. Read a book.
When life is hectic, I don’t get to read as much. Days off become the ones where I sink into a book or two. “Where’s Erin?” Look for me to be curled in or sprawled out in a comfortable chair.
10. Set time limits.
If I am going to do some “real” work, I set strict boundaries. For example, I can only work until my brother wakes up. He doesn’t sleep in like he used to, but I can still get a solid two to three hours in.
11. Focus on the reason for the season.
My church gives us an Advent devotional every year. I love it. It readies my heart, mind, and body for not only the coming of baby Jesus but also the coming of the triumphant King.
That’s how I cope with holidays and days off. At least, it’s some of them. This list could likely go on as long as those days that stretch on and on and on, so I’ll stop it here. I’ve got things to do to keep me from work and focused on rest and the Christmas season.