The long awaited holiday season is finally upon us, and plans to travel and gather with our loved ones are in full force. There are always unforeseen glitches in our annual traditions that are completely out of our hands, such as flight cancellations, snowstorms, or a last minute case of the flu. However, there is one black cloud that always hangs over our Christmas festivities that we can control, which is our work.

Everyone admires a hard working individual, and we’re all taught from an early age that good work ethic is something that we should all aspire to embody. The problem, however, is that the message gets skewed along the way, and we get confused regarding the actual definition of what hard work looks like. You can be a hard worker and achieve remarkable numbers and goals for your company while also balancing a healthy personal life outside of the office. Hard work, therefore, does not equal a workaholic mentality that shuts out every other facet of your life.

This year, as the holidays pass, why not attempt to rethink your idea of what a break from work looks like? How freeing would it be to unplug completely for a number of hours, or even days, and simply rest and rejuvenate? For those that cringe at the thought of such down time and fear for all of the work that would pile up after such a break, try and remember how greatly your entire perspective could benefit from stepping back and pushing pause.

We all feel fresh after a good night’s sleep and relaxed after a long, hot bath. It is simply our human nature to see more smiles and sighs of relief after we have taken the time to stop and refocus. This Christmas season, Platinum Resumes is challenging you to take that much needed break from your laptop and deadlines and to take a deep breath of life outside of the office. Your upcoming projects will thank you for the fresh dose of attention and focus that you will have found!