Live in the moment: feel the warm sun on your skin, smell the sea air, really listen to what others are saying. Photo / Getty Images
As if having to turn in that project to the boss two days before Christmas wasn't bad enough, it's been a crazy three weeks.
Christmas parties, school prizegivings and concerts, shopping for presents, organising holiday accommodation, food planning and preparation, and coping with a houseful of guests.
The stress of the Christmas run-up has come on top of a long year of hard graft at work and you're exhausted.
You've thrown the kids and the leftover ham into the back of the car and headed for the beach, bach or camping ground, but on arrival you're still wound up from all that stress and you know you've only got two weeks before you have to go back to work.
Kris de Jong, life coach at Eclipse Life Coaching, says it's important for people to start de-stressing as soon as they can once on holiday, and the best way to do this is to make a conscious effort to live 'in the moment'.
"You're not at work - you're with your family and friends, so that should be your focus," he says.
"Being 'present' means using all your senses to savour your surroundings and truly engage with the people around you. Feel the warm sun on your skin, smell the sea air, taste those Christmas treats, watch your kids play, really listen to what others are saying to you."
de Jong says anything work-related should take a low priority in order to really be able to recover from the work year.
He suggests leaving the laptop at home if possible, and not checking work emails.
"Make sure your boss and colleagues know you won't be contactable during the holidays. If your job requires that you be available, schedule a specific time each day to deal with any work activities, so you can focus on relaxing for the rest of the day."
Cooking and household chores can be simplified to allow more time to kick back and relax.
It won't matter if everyone lives on takeaways and Christmas cake for a few days while settling into a holiday routine, and de Jong says that a bit of planning done before leaving for a holiday can reduce time and effort spent worrying about these things.
People often relax on holiday by sleeping in, lounging around, eating a lot, and drinking alcohol in the sun, but there are better ways to treat your body in order to rejuvenate after a stressful year. de Jong recommends sleep and exercise as priorities to help body and mind recover.
"Getting more sleep is a great idea while on holiday, but it can also be a good opportunity to get more exercise to help you feel rejuvenated. You'll have more time during the break to go for a run or play cricket on the beach. Overeating, drinking too much and lazing around in the sun lounger all day will probably make you feel off-colour and lethargic rather than revitalised."
de Jong notes that busy professionals with families rarely get time on their own to calm down and relax, and says it's important to spend some time on your own if you can.
"If you can't seem to find any 'me' time, schedule it in, even if it's just for an hour or so, and let the family know you need some space to yourself for a little while," he says.
"Just going for a walk along the beach or in the bush can help to clear your mind and soothe your nerves."
Once the initial exhaustion has worn off, it's a good time to start thinking about simple things you can build into each day to de-stress and prepare for the year ahead.
New Year's resolutions are notoriously broken by the end of January, but two weeks' holiday is enough time to develop a routine that will see you through the year.
Without being too hard on yourself, try making improvements in your diet and include rest and physical activity as often as you can.
de Jong says an obvious way to relax is to read a good book on a warm day under the shade of a tree.
"Reading an inspirational biography may help to motivate you for the work year ahead. Going for a swim makes you feel fresh and alive, and connects you with nature."
And if you want to use some of your break to think about your career future, de Jong suggests setting aside half a day to write down what you want in your work, as specifically as you can, and then writing down how you might get there.
"You can then start to implement your new strategies as soon as you get back to work."