A Christmas Internal Inventory: Tips from the Career Advisor

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Photo: Niels Blaesi / DER SPIEGEL

If you're looking forward to the holiday season with happy anticipation, knowing that everything is as it should be, then this article may not be for you.

However, if pondering this question makes you feel uneasy about the time ahead, or if your stressors are alarming, please read on.

Because then you can use the remaining days before the festival to improve your situation - and learn from it how to organize yourself better at work in the future.

Start by critically examining your to-do lists and reviewing all to-dos.

Use the little word »instead« for this.

For example, "Instead of sourcing the ingredients for an elaborate meal, I get cozy with my loved ones and we browse recipes that take less effort to make." /in a gift, I'm giving away a stroll through town this year.« Now add: »Instead of...« Feel free to involve the people involved in your Christmas party in reassessing the lists.

Do things by halves.

How much effort could you halve?

For example, the number of presents or the time when relatives visit the Christmas tour.

You could also halve the time spent on your smartphone.

You may even manage to turn it off for longer periods during the festive season.

You still have enough time to inform all those affected of your half measures.

End the pre-Christmas period on a positive note professionally too.

There is still time to indulge in happiness with your colleagues in person or remotely.

Make the last day of work Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.

Everyone dresses appropriately.

Wish each other personally in the team »Merry Christmas« in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and take the opportunity to duly honor your successes in 2022.

Share the pride of the team with each other.

What have you accomplished this year?

What can you be proud of and pop the corks?

Exchange ideas and celebrate yourself and each other.

Now let's turn to the holidays themselves and you.

Like most people, this year you will resolve to do things differently this time.

More time to relax, more time out from stress.

This year it can work out if you boldly implement one or the other idea that has already been presented.

Also, make some space in the Christmas calendar and give yourself quality time for yourself, completely free of charge.

Read here how you can use this gifted time in a fulfilling way.

Some exercises are also good for sharing with friends and family.

Christmas mail to yourself

Many people use the holiday season to send mail to friends and family, reflecting on the year.

Do it differently this year.

Don't look back, but forward: write a Christmas letter to yourself and think about what good things should happen in your life in 2023.

Don't send the letter!

Use it as your guiding star for the year ahead.

time for memories

How many boxes, albums or photo files do you have from your life?

A real treasure to lose yourself in memories again, to relive, to feel gratitude, joy or sadness.

Take a few hours to browse through your life.

Make yourself comfortable, make sure you have enough space and spread out about yourself and your story.

Perhaps there are pictures that particularly catch your eye and move something in you.

Then they put you out.

Are they photos whose story you would like to share with others afterwards?

Use the time you want to treat yourself to on the holidays.

Where do I want to go?

Take a little time out and write down a goal for each of the areas »Job«, »Relationships« and »I« that you would like to achieve in the next three months.

Write down goals that are really close to your heart.

Formulate the goals concretely, positively and measurably and in any case attractively.

The realization must give you a real advantage.

Also formulate the steps to achieve the goal.

What exactly is to be done?

A walk

Welsh poet WH Davies wrote: 'What a miserable life when we are so worried that we don't have time to stand and wonder.

That's why it goes out on Christmas Day.

Make an appointment with yourself for a little trip.

Plan the destination: Where have I always wanted to go?

What area around my home haven't I seen yet?

Take the walk without a cell phone.

Be with yourself and your surroundings.

Become aware of what you see, smell, hear and feel.

Experience with all your senses, take your time and be present.

Three little things

"The time I take is the time that gives me something," said the Austrian writer Ernst Ferstl.

What could you make time for again?

Something you've always wanted to do, something you've wanted to do again for a long time?

Bake grandma's famous apple pie, go to the cinema, call an old friend?

Take a moment and spontaneously list things that come to mind.

What could it be?

Pick three things and make appointments with yourself that you put on your calendar.

Merciful Christmas season

Where could you show mercy?

Who could you forgive what?

Take a first small step towards this person and send him or her a New Year's greeting.

Dear readers, the author Laura Vanderkam says: »I don't have time for it, means: I don't take it.« Take the time.

It is at your disposal when you want it.

I wish you a happy Christmas.