Top 5 Tips for Switching Off (or at Least Stepping Back) Over Christmas — for Helping Professionals

Sass Boucher

The festive season can be restorative, overwhelming, grounding, exhausting… sometimes all in the same hour. And for many helping professionals, “time off” isn’t a straightforward concept, some people are still on shift, on call, or quietly carrying the emotional residue of an entire year.

As you know, Kate and I have never professed to be gurus in this endeavour, but we have picked up a few ideas from you all over the years.

So here are five gentle (we hope), realistic (as far as they can be) tips for stepping back as much as your role allows, without pretending life pauses on command.

1. Put the Work Phone Somewhere You Can’t ‘Just Check It’

If you’re not on call, try putting your work phone or laptop somewhere it can have a rest too.

A drawer.

A cupboard.

A suitcase under the bed.

(If your hand can’t physically reach it, it can’t accidentally reply to emails.)

If you are on call, perhaps keep work things in a dedicated spot, so they’re not following you into every room… or every thought. And at the very least: keep it out of your sleep space.

'No one needs their team, manager, clients or senior leadership in their bedroom.'

2. Let Your Brain Know It’s Safe to Slow Down

Our work helping and supporting others creates a nervous system that’s always half-listening. We often think of it as a meerkat, head up, scanning to respond.

A small, planned ritual (a slow cup of tea, a walk, a longer shower, or sitting under a blanket pretending to be a croissant,  definitely an almond croissant; you know we always bring it back to food) can signal to your body:

“We’re not in work mode right now.”

You might not get a whole week of rest, but sometimes two minutes of exhale counts.

3. Name (or ring-fence) What You’re Stepping Back From

Not everyone gets to switch off entirely, but you can soften the edges.

Try saying:

“For the next two days, I’m stepping back from responsibility X.”

“For tonight, I’m not holding anyone else’s emotions.”

“For this hour, I don’t need to solve anything.”

Our nervous systems love clarity.

And if your brain isn’t listening, offer it a gentle distraction:

a book,

a playlist,

or yes, a brew, and a slice of cake.

4. Create Some Ordinary Moments

Try creating some very ordinary moments, not a personality shift, just a pause.

Moments where you’re not the strong one, the sensible one, or the endlessly available one.

Maybe that’s laughing at Christmas telly, eating (lots of) cheese for dinner, declining plans, and saying 'no' to anything that doesn't make you smile, guilt-free, or take a nap, or wear pyjamas far beyond socially accepted hours.

Sometimes ordinary is the most restful thing we can offer ourselves.

5. Give Future-You a Head Start

Before you return to work, email yourself a reminder:

• one thing that can wait

• one thing that matters

• one thing you’re proud of surviving this year

It’s not planning,  it’s kindness for 'January You', who will inevitably open the inbox and think, “…oh.”

A gentle reminder

If you’re supporting others over Christmas — at home or at work — in social care, health, education, crisis work, therapy, emergency services, domestic abuse support or community roles, remember that what you do makes a difference!

You deserve moments of ease, even small ones.

Switching off isn’t all-or-nothing. It doesn’t have to be a week away or a full stop.

Sometimes it’s just one small thing each day that helps you move from Olympic Meerkat to something closer to a content and laid-back sloth, slow, steady, and not scanning the horizon for moments of being useful every three seconds.

Sometimes stepping back just means giving yourself enough space to breathe.

If you’d like to connect with us elsewhere, our Linktree brings all our socials together in one place.