Are you anchored in the present moment or more of a present-absent person always busy with “more important” things? I’m thinking, for example, of reading a work email that could have waited until the next day.

I will speak to you with my heart as a French woman who has learned to cherish every second on European soil. Your time is limited. Everything around you is in motion. The moment you are living is not reproducible, it is unique.

Yes, you should take a vacation and disconnect from work for a few days. Rest is the key to performance. Without a break, there are no brilliant ideas, no solutions, less creativity and more stress! But above all, it is the time of year when you can share magical hours with the people you appreciate. So, spoil yourself. Spoil them with your entire presence!

YOU HAVE TIME TO TAKE TIME

Trying to release the pressure around the FOMO syndrome ( Fear Of Missing Out), this famous fear of missing something. The web sometimes sucks us into a whirlwind of information and makes us constantly accessible to others…

What could you possibly be missing that is so vital that it is worth sacrificing your holiday hours? Invite the JOMO ( Joy Of Missing Out ) for Christmas! Be excited about missing out on trivial things so that you can focus on yourself and your family.

It’s okay to slow down. No matter your position, your responsibilities. No matter your company. You have the right to be unreachable! Organize yourself so that you can switch off 100% from work so that you can focus all your energy on the present moment during the holidays. The people who love you deserve to come first in December:

• Inform your clients and colleagues about your vacation and the emergency procedure

• Prepare for your absence and return from vacation to reduce pressure

• Set your digital devices to avoid being contacted unnecessarily

ENCOURAGE YOURSELF AS A TEAM TO ACHIEVE

Organize a meeting before everyone leaves on vacation to review as a team how the vacation will be organized or how your business will be closed. For example:

• Structure internal and external communications clearly

• Remind each of your employees of the importance of vacations and quality family time in order to promote life outside of work

• Reassure people who might feel guilty or stressed about taking several days off from work

• Launch a team challenge around disconnection to stimulate letting go

CELL PHONE AND ATTENTION

The average adult checks their cell phone 160 times a day! This increases your chances of glancing at your work messages, “just to see.” It’s a fact: a third of Canadians read their emails while on vacation. By engaging in this type of behavior, you’re not disconnecting from your professional responsibilities. You’re keeping your head at work by stimulating your brain with the same routine and it’s not really resting.

I challenge you about the holiday season:

• Use Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb to reduce digital solicitation

• Train your patience and listen carefully to conversations

• Take pictures as if you had a disposable camera in your hands!

According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , constantly photographing all our moments with our screens reduces our attention and our ability to memorize. Our brain is then focused on the screen and this does not allow it to record what surrounds it and create memories for later.

CHERISH YOUR LOVED ONES

Live in the moment. Even if it’s imperfect or incomplete, it’s precious. It’s okay if your cookies look overbaked on Instagram. What matters is not the perfect photo for your social media, but the memories you’re creating with your loved ones: the support, the conversations, and the laughter. The present moment is the most precious thing you have. You’ll have the chance to send your family photos later…there’s no rush!

Soak up the sounds, the smells, look at your loved ones with kindness, watch their faces come alive. Take a deep breath and savor what you see, what you hear, how you feel. Holiday celebrations are much more than an exchange of gifts, they are hours of warm atmosphere and unforgettable human connections.

Happy Holidays!