Maintaining your effectiveness during the Holidays

It seems that beginning with Halloween, and straight until after New Year's, it is easy to psychologically "take the rest of the year off". The motivation for this switch to throttling back can differ from person to person. The most frequent factor, in my experience, seems to be the need for taking time off from the demands in one's life. The "holiday season" with parties, childhood memories of festive and joyful times, family get-togethers, gift giving, and days off from work all create a time which is less usual than the rest of the year. It also creates a time frame for breaking from one's consistency and discipline. Why would we do that? Why does it feel so good for so many to do that? I think that duri ng the rest of the year there must be more attention given to allowing creativity, spontaneity, freedom of expression and playfulness. Filling one's week without these energy revitalizing elements leads to emotional and spiritual drain. When the holiday season arrives, it becomes a socially sanctioned period during which many people allow themselves opportunities that are otherwise avoided or prohibited. It is interesting how much more resting, vacation days, visits to the gym, and generally better balance in daily activities are pursued. My contention is that it shouldn't be the last 2 months of the year where personal life balance and more rewarding lifestyles are permitted. If the Halloween to New Year's stretch feels like your escape period, take a closer look at adjusting your time and activities to better meet your needs during the rest of the year.