The Post-Holiday Blues – Five Rituals to Snap out of it

Once again, this year I started the New Year in Kerala, South India, at 30 degrees Celsius, with an amazing vacation that felt like a trip to paradise. And while it’s cold and snowing now in Switzerland, the warmth and happiness I took with me still light up my heart. 

I hope you understand that I also have moments of self-doubt and fear, and that I’m not always the calm, relaxed coach you might know. I can also get stressed and deal with issues similar to those you might experience. However, after disconnecting, spending time with friends and family, and taking time to really rest and soak in the sunshine, I feel thrilled to work again.

My desire and ambition are to be fresh, energetic, focused, and emotionally stable. I want to create and foster an atmosphere of creativity, whether I’m in an office or a fancy hotel room. I want to be available to network with prospects and clients. 

I want to get up in the morning with a big smile, a morning prayer or meditation, and fulfill my day’s work, whether we have a war, a blackout, or a snowstorm. And this is why I’m constantly practicing managing my energy better. And as usual, I also want to share what I am learning and practicing with you because you might be at a different stage of your process and might need five rituals to help you get back on track.

Epiphany – Time to Throw Out the Christmas Tree

6 January marks the last day of the holiday season in Germany and Switzerland. In some parts of Europe, it is the most important day of the holiday season. For us, it means we really need to throw out the Christmas tree and all the decorations the next day. 

It’s a nice ritual, and the cleaning-up exercise means that I can get back into full steam. As often rituals help me with transitions and change, I thought I’d share mine to get back into my creative mode again. I also think someone needs to tell my neighbor that it is definitely high time to take down the Christmas decorations.

I once asked colleagues in Singapore if it was okay to wish them Happy New Year (ahead of time), as in the German culture, wishing ahead is often considered bad luck, but they loved it. So from one Happy New Year to another Happy New Year, I believe we should all take a vacation, work-from-anywhere, and really re-energize before getting back into the hustle and bustle of our self-imposed modern lifestyles. 

1 – Start with Decoration Boxing

This year I started with decoration boxing by listening to holiday music and I read through all the lovely Christmas cards again. If I haven’t thanked you personally yet, I hope you read this and know that I cherish and keep all the cards. Even the printed business cards. 

Allow yourself one last look at your Christmas ornaments. Then box all of them into the Christmas boxes where you keep them until after Thanksgiving or the first Advent weekend. Say goodbye to Christmas movies, too. (Got you there (FIRST NAME)).

2 – Bring on the Calendar Planning

Get an annual calendar for your wall and mark all the important dates such as holidays, vacations or downtime, birthdays, weddings, launch dates, workshop days, lectures, and other important events that you have already committed to. 

Plan one long weekend every month for either self-care, your partnership, or a strategic offsite. Book all your travel in advance with flexible cancellation options and dive into the feeling of pre-travel excitement way before it happens. 

3 – Take Care of Routine Prepping

Prepare everything that you usually need to have ready to get into your weekly routines, such as lunches, dinners, grocery shopping, and other regular Sunday activities, to start a good week ahead. Get your hair, nails, shoes, and suits back in a work look. 

Go through your wardrobe for a quick check and throw everything you no longer need into a bag for the “Brocki”. Remember that your new you also want to look great on the outside. It’s also a great time to get rid of ripped socks, underwear, towels, and those little items that have been hiding in your closet for the last five years. If you have worn them before the Pandemic for the last time, it’s really high time to throw them out.

4 – Consider Workspace Enhancing

Clean your workspace at home and consider at least one enhancement, such as upgrading your software, buying colorful pens, post-it notes, or a new journal. Buy a few colorful physical folders for your creative ideas and pimp up your filing system. Get yourself an orchid or a beautiful flower that you can add to your home office.

If you work in an actual office, think of a holiday photo as a great reminder of your privileged life or your beautiful family to take to the office. Maybe you also received a gift that will be beautiful in your office.

5 – Allow Purpose Reminiscing

Remember why you are where you are today in your professional life and as an entrepreneur, digital nomad, or expat, and connect with your mission statement. Read it out to yourself. Does it still fit? 

Check your resume and other brand messages. Is there anything you feel needs an upgrade? Visualize your life in the new year, add photos to your vision board, and pick your word for the year, if you haven’t done so yet. I’m happy to share that my word came to me already a few weeks back. If you have been to my place, you might have seen it. Any guesses?

I wish you all a wonderful start in the New Year.