Christmas is almost upon us! Are you excited? Stressed? Somewhere in between? Me too!
However much you love this time of year, there’s no denying that there’s an awful lot to think about.
And when you work in the field of mental health, shutting up shop for the year isn’t quite as
straightforward as it is in other professions.
But you need time off, you need to recharge, and you need to be able to put your ‘out of office’ on
without worrying that there’s something you’ve missed. That’s why this blog is all about how to
prepare for time off over the festive period. I’m going to share my top tips for winding down pre-
Christmas (they’ve worked well for me over the years), and help you to get sorted in your own
practice.
Ready? let’s go!
Practical Steps to Prepare For Time Off at Christmas
It’s really important to me that I take some well-earned time for myself at Christmas. I want to spend
quality time with my family, and I want the chance to reflect on my successes and learnings over the
past year. I’d highly recommend you do the same.
When I’m preparing for time off, these are the steps I invariably follow:
SCHEDULE TIME WITH MY MOST VULNERABLE CLIENTS
Christmas can be a truly wonderful time of year, but not everyone finds it easy – or even
bearable. When you work in mental health, you have slightly different considerations to
everyone else when wrapping up your work diaries. If you have clients who are likely to
struggle over the festive period, arrange to see them before you sign-off for the year.
When seeing these clients, help them to identify any potential trigger points for the holidays
– such as alcohol, increased stress, or the presence of certain family members – and work on
healthy copy strategies that they can employ in your absence. That way, you won’t be
spending your Christmas worrying about how they’ll cope.
BOOK IN ALL OF MY CLIENTS FOR MY FIRST WEEK BACK
When your clients have been without you for a time, it’s important to make sure you have a
check-in scheduled for your return – whether that’s a full face-to-face session, or a virtual
appointment to check that they’re managing. I try to speak to all of my clients during my first
week back after any prolonged absence.
There might also be new challenges that crop up for your clients over Christmas, and it’s
important to address these right away.
MAKE SURE MY INVOICES ARE UP-TO-DATE
Nothing spoils a Christmas like worrying about money – especially as year-end is (most
helpfully) when the taxman comes calling! Before wrapping up for Christmas, I like to make
sure all of my invoices are sent out, paid, and fully recorded for peace of mind. This also
helps to ease the financial burden of the season.
If you find dealing with invoices stressful, confusing, or the very last thing you need before
you pour the mulled wine and tuck in to mince pies, a good accountant and bookkeeper can
be worth their weight in gold!
TIDY UP MY TO-DO LIST
I don’t like to have any niggling tasks hanging over me when I’m trying to relax with a
Christmas movie, so as my festive break approaches, I make an incredibly comprehensive to-
do list. I like to work my way through this one job at a time (so things don’t get too
overwhelming), and tick things off as I go for a nice sense of achievement.
Whether you make a written list (and add festive doodles for fun), or note things down on
your phone, getting yourself organised before putting your out-of-office on can help you to
wind down and switch off before Santa comes a-calling.
TIDY MY OFFICE SPACE
Physically tidying my office space helps to clear my head, but it also gives me a tangible
‘divide’ between this year and next. Christmas and New Year are perfect for setting
intentions for the year ahead, reflecting on your wins, and focusing on your goals – both
personal, and professional. Having a good old tidy gives you the head space to be able to
think more clearly, and makes your return to work much nicer.
If you struggle to get organised or find tidying a real chore, pop on some Christmas music
and invite a friend along to help you. They bring the discipline, you bring the snacks!
Enjoying Your Time Off
The most important thing to remember over Christmas is that everyone deserves time off –
especially those professions who help people for a living. Giving yourself some much-needed
downtime over the festive period will help you to come back stronger in the new year – meaning
you’ll be even better placed to support your clients after the break.
Wishing you a very merry Christmas, and the happiest of New Years.
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