The long wind down, the slow wind up, taking breaks and avoiding holiday blues.

I’ve heard many friends say they find the approach European businesses take in summer a little strange. We’re talking about August specifically. Given that’s peak season for travellers it seems a little odd that many locals decide to shut up shop and take a break for 2 – 4 weeks in the month. Especially countries like France, Italy, or Spain.

Having worked in over 50 countries, living in Europe for several years, I’ve found the Australian approach to their summer break far more lackadaisical than any underlying European ethos. Before any nationalistic defence mechanisms kick in with a ‘boo’, let me explain.

Many countries in Europe are much like Australia when it comes to employment entitlements: being a generous minimum amount of holiday time at circa 4 weeks.

Which seems an absolute luxury in comparison to the USA, with most employers granting their employees around 10 days paid leave a year.

In Australia, as soon as the calendar turns over to December 1st, conversations and activities shift gear. Then, regardless of the length of time off through Christmas, there is a mental lull starting weeks before a single Turkey hits the oven, lasting until flags are put away after 26th January.

Given Australia Day often falls into a weekend, it would be rude not to make it a long one, so typically the dying embers of January, even early February, is where the engine room of Australia feels like it’s cranked back to full steam ahead.  After Australia Day. After the Australian Open. That’s akin to an 8 week summer shutdown, rather than the European month long equivalent.

Some studies suggest that when we do take a break, the true benefits peak around the eighth day. Others suggest that regular shorter breaks are better. How you manage your breaks is really dependant on so many factors, that it’s probably best not to get stuck thinking whether a shorter or longer break works best for you.

Some people, when planning time off, especially for overseas trips, do so with returning flights landing right up to the wire, the night before returning to work. Others prefer a couple of days idling and unwinding back home first.

Regardless how you cut it, it’s important to take breaks to switch off and recoup your batteries. A timely reminder for the one in five Aussies who prefer to bank up their leave, rather than take it as entitled.

There’s also a plethora of Aussies reading this who will relate to the concept that being on leave doesn’t necessarily equate to taking a break, remaining connected to work, via a wireless umbilical cord of time, never really switching off as they constantly check or reply to emails whilst on holiday.

Others will slide tiredly into their summer break feeling time off is all that’s needed.

If we’re frequently feeling frustrated, burnt out, rudderless or having internal dialogue along the lines of ‘what the hell am I doing,’ a break alone is unlikely to fix the root cause.

So, to get the most out of your break, summer or any other,  I suggest using a little of your mental capacity whilst you are away to ponder your goals (be they business performance, learning skills or personal fulfillment).

Contemplation and honest self-reflection is a starting point to recognising it’s time to put in place strategies and plans, even big changes, for longer term happiness over the temporary nature a summer break affords.

Also think about coming back from your breaks no different than getting back into the gym after a short hiatus. Muscle memory will certainly kick in, yet there’s no need to succumb to self- induced pressure to bench lift to the max, with excessive reps, from day one!

In a prior interview with 2HD you’ll find a list of extended principles to return to work without feeling overwhelmed. Whether it’s not saying yes to every meeting straight off the bat or having a mindset of Triage. You may well have received hundreds of emails during the break, especially if you finally cut off the wireless umbilical cord, so perform any catch up with priorities first.

Ultimately there are two principles to anchor front of mind.

Remember that learning is lifelong. We never arrive at a point where we say, that’s it, I have all the skills now required for the remainder of my life. So, even where others are operating with the half in half out, mentality (It’s December, it’s January, so no one is doing anything), you don’t need to buy into it. Use any quiet time to invest in continual learning to get ahead of the curve and competition.

Ultimately, Confucius is accredited for the philosophy of ‘wherever you go, go with all your heart.’ Another way to say this is: be where you are!

If you’re on vacation, then be on vacation. Your work will be waiting when you’re back. If you’re with your family, then be with your family. You’ll catch up with colleagues and clients soon enough.

If you’re at work, even if it’s quiet, then be at work. Right up to the wire, be it Christmas Eve, Easter, mid winter or whenever, and on your return. When you put your mind to it, you’ll find constructive things to do or ways to wisely invest any down time.

These two behavioural tenets alone place you in far better standing to avoid both the 8-week Aussie long wind down, slow wind-up summer mindset or avoidance of any post-holiday blues.

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