10 Ways to Have a Productive Holiday

Though a holiday should be a time for us to relax, every time we have plans to fulfill our interests or to achieve something during holidays, usually it turns out that nothing is finished or started. This is an article to teach you how to have a productive holiday.

1. Take Time for You

Take some time to do something you have been wanting to do, even if it's just to read a new book. You may not have had the time to do it before, but the holidays are a great time to recharge and do something that will make you happy, and take one more thing off your personal list of things that you have always wanted to do.

2. Cut Back on Emailing

You don't have to check your email every few minutes. They are going to be there, and they will keep arriving. You could spend hours simply checking emails if you aren't careful, and it doesn't take long to end up wasting a lot of time that could be spent doing more productive things. Set aside a certain window of time each day for checking emails, and then ignore them for the rest of the day.

3. Take Advantage of the AM hours

If you have any vacation time and are not working, don't sleep your days away. Get up early and get a lot of stuff done while everyone else is sleeping. By the time everyone else is up, you have finished your chores for the day, and you have time to spend with family and friends.

4. Make Plans for the Future

Write down a list of goals for the near future, as well as steps you can take to achieve those goals. That way, you will have a good idea of what you want and will be able to come up with a plan to make things happen.

5. Make those Long-Distance Calls

Now is a great time to connect with family and friends from all over the world. Because whatever time it might be where they are, you're on vacation, so you're free to talk over the phone at all times. Keep those costs down and take advantage of VoIP technology to make free or cheap international calls.

6. Get Rid of Clutter

This is the perfect time to get rid of clutter, both at home and in your office. Get your home, office, and personal life into order, and you will be on your way to an easier life when your holiday is finished. De-cluttering your space will also help to de-clutter your mind.

7. Get into Online Shopping

Gone are the days when you ordered something from a catalog or magazine, and crossed your fingers that you would get the right item. Today, more and more people are finding that they are better off ordering gifts online. They get exactly what they want, and they don't have to wade through crowded stores to do it.

8. Stay On Top of Your Work

Even if you are on holidays or vacation, you can still call the office to check in, read up on industry news, and more. That way, you won't feel like you wasted your time while you were on vacation.

9. Make Advance Reservations

If you are planning on a trip, or even a dinner, make the reservations as far in advance as possible. That way, you know that there will be a place reserved for you and your guests.

10. Don't Forget to Exercise

Just because you are on vacation, it doesn't mean that you can take a vacation from exercising. In fact, during a holiday, it is even more important than ever to exercise, because of all of those goodies you will be munching on in addition to most likely eating out more often.
Featured photo credit: Matt Gibson via flickr.com
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