Holidays are the ultimate time to relax. During this restful period, we make the most of all sorts of activities. It is a time of celebration when we are more lenient and tolerant of our usual way of life. For example, the television is left on for longer than usual for the children, and bedtime is pushed back by one or two hours from the usual time. Holidays change household routines and shift people’s lifestyles, adapting them to the activities of the moment: camping, travelling, cultural visits, festival celebrations, and nights out.

This is a period of relaxation during which the body works to achieve a sense of well-being. Whether physical, financial or practical, in this article we offer some guidelines and practical tips to help you make the most of this time of relaxation.

1 – Get up early

It may seem counterintuitive, but this is a small step that can save you a huge amount of time over the course of your holiday. As holidays all fall at the same time (Christmas, the summer holidays, or Easter), you’ll save time by tackling essential tasks early in the morning: going to the supermarket, filling up with petrol, or dealing with any administrative matters.

Getting up early during the holidays is a choice that obviously gives you more time in the day but also brings more rhythm to your daily routine as it establishes a fixed rhythm.

For younger children, waking up at the crack of dawn isn’t compulsory; it will depend on their energy levels and sleep needs. Long days can tire their bodies and, over time, make the holidays less beneficial than they ought to be. Especially as there’s no obligation, so good time management can significantly improve how things go for young children and the rest of the family.

2 – Take up a sport

An underrated activity, yet popular among younger people, physical exercise during the holidays is a great way to look after yourself. Taking up a sport releases serotonin, the ‘happiness molecule’; it also helps relieve stress and keeps the body active. It’s a must if you want to enjoy a truly relaxing holiday. The most accessible physical activities include running, fitness-style exercise, aerobics, Zumba (available online), or mountain biking (you can find out at your holiday destination how to hire a bike if you don’t own one). This rule, which is popular among young people, applies to holidaymakers of all ages – children, teenagers, adults and the elderly. Exercise during the holidays is a great way to enhance the restorative effects of a holiday.

3 – Avoid news channels on television

This isn’t about cutting yourself off from the world during your holidays – that’s not the idea at all. Rather, it’s a way of shielding yourself from distressing news and information that will be of no use to you. It’s well known that the news can cause anxiety, especially when it’s bad news. Most people switch off their emails, work phones and post during their holidays, and we encourage you to do the same.

If you absolutely must know what’s happening in the news, we advise you to limit yourself to a single news programme or the digital version of the news on your phone.

4-Set aside some time for social media

Social media is often criticised for being addictive and a nuisance in everyday life; on holiday, we often think about switching off completely, cutting ourselves off from the world around us and making the most of the moment. Usually, we set our email to ‘out of office’ mode (OOM), and similarly, we choose to disconnect from social media platforms.

We understand this choice, but in this article we’d like to qualify it: we actually advise you to log in only at scheduled, short intervals during your holidays, for the following reason:

• It will keep you in touch with your loved ones, even if they’re on the other side of the world – a social connection that can be of vital importance to you.
• It will prevent you from returning to work without having seen any potentially critical files.
• Posting photos of your holiday in real time: if you have friends you’ve told are going on holiday, they’ll be delighted to see photos of you in real time.
• This time spent on social media will also allow you to stay connected to the world you’ve left behind and keep up to date with the latest news.

This is a choice we advocate, as we believe it is the safest and wisest option.

5-Don’t hesitate to try out a new look, or experiment with holiday outfits.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it might seem that way. When on holiday, don’t hesitate to switch up your wardrobe by wearing clothes you’ve set aside especially for your break. These could be old clothes, items bought for the occasion, or even outfits you’ve made yourself. So, to completely change your surroundings, clothing is an excellent tool. Go along with it – without going overboard – and choose clothes you wear only on holiday; this will put you in the holiday mindset and help you relax even more.

6-Spend more time with people

This advice may seem incredibly obvious, yet it is undoubtedly the most fundamental piece of advice on the list. Openness is a quality few people possess, and the holidays are the best time to practise it. Indeed, on top of that, talking to people can be a good way to do yourself some good: on the one hand, it provides yet another opportunity to build social connections, which are important for the brain; secondly, it allows you to affirm to the person you’re talking to—or to yourself—that you really are on holiday; you’re not pressed for time, and by taking the time to talk to people, you’re asserting your freedom and exercising your privilege.

This is a habit we tend to have less of when we’re working, due to time constraints. On holiday, we’re the sole masters of our own time, which is why we can treat ourselves and talk to people however we like.

7- Make time for your hobbies, but don’t stop there…

During the holidays, we have a good time – that’s the whole point of a holiday – but we sometimes forget that it’s also the perfect time to indulge in our passions and hone our skills in that area. For example, if you enjoy painting, it’s not about painting a Goya or a Kandinsky; you can just as easily study the masters in workshops or on courses, and if you feel like it, create a watercolour that reflects your own talents.

Holidays are wonderful times when you can hone all sorts of skills; as well as being a time for relaxation—and sometimes productivity—by following this rule, you’ll turn them into a time for personal fulfilment.

8-Think smart, save money: cook your own meals

Whilst eating out is enjoyable and pleasant, it shouldn’t become a habit whilst on holiday. Even the most affordable restaurants can still be quite expensive. To save money whilst on holiday, we recommend cooking your own meals. It goes without saying that this requires more effort, but it will allow you to eat meals to your own taste, and suited to your dietary needs, at a lower cost than ordering and/or having food delivered to your holiday accommodation.

Another advantage of cooking your own meals is the ability to eat at the times you choose, a benefit often underestimated whilst on holiday.

For us, this rule isn’t about avoiding restaurants, but rather about taking the time to cook.

9- For good hygiene, wash your hands regularly and maintain standard hygiene practices

Don’t let yourself go whilst on holiday: stay on track with your hygiene – even though it isn’t necessary to have a full wash every day, do it anyway. Even if you aren’t out in public every day on holiday, or if you aren’t sweating as much as you would on a working day, it’s important to keep yourself clean. This helps remove bacteria, thereby preventing infections, stimulates circulation and contributes to your general well-being. Holidays are a time for the mind and body to rest, so it is important to continue looking after yourself by washing and pampering yourself.

10- Make time to read

We’re not just saying this because we run a blog; making time to read is a genuine tip that will do you good during the holidays. Reading can be time-consuming for some, but during the holidays you’ll be free from that constraint and can indulge in this pleasure without a care in the world.

Reading stimulates the brain, improves memory, concentration and analytical skills, whilst reducing stress and promoting relaxation. All these beneficial effects will motivate you to read and could prove useful in your daily life. It may seem rather bohemian and artistic – people don’t say it often enough – but reading can do you good, and what better time to do it than during the holidays?