The holiday season is right around the corner, which means it's time for family gatherings, yummy treats, and a much-needed break from the daily grind. Although we may wish winter break lasted forever, come January 2nd we'll be back to a slew of commitments. However, we can prepare for the inevitable post-New-Year's-Eve reality by doing a little bit of work each day of vacation. Use these tips to stay on track for the new year while enjoying your well-deserved time off!

1. Set realistic vacation goals

Before you take off for the beach, make a list of what needs to be accomplished after you return from break. Include any repertoire or roles you'll be performing in January/February, work projects, artistic ventures, and home improvement tasks. Based on these tasks, make a second list of steps to take during break to ease your workload on the other end. Be realistic about the amount of work that needs to be done and the amount of work you'll be willing to do while on vacation, but make sure to give yourself a handful of responsibilities so you'll be productive. Remember that a little bit of work done over vacation will save you a whole lot of stress when you get back!

2. Decide when you want to work each day

Although you may not want to schedule your free time during winter break, setting aside 30-60 minutes each day to work will allow you to accomplish your goals without stressing. You can work around your break plans. If you have family coming over for dinner in the late afternoon, schedule your work time in the morning so it doesn't distract from family time. If you know you like to sleep in on winter break, schedule your work time in the afternoon so you don't have to wake up early. Schedule your work periods with specific goals to make efficient use of your time, and when your scheduled time is done, set aside leftover work for tomorrow. 

3. Take advantage of "passive work time"

Holiday preparations often include a fair amount of household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, or shopping. As singers, much of our work includes learning and listening to music, so double up on your household work by playing your repertoire in the background. This type of passive listening can also be done while you work out, drive around town, sit on an airplane, etc. Giving your brain time to absorb your music in a relaxed way will make the learning process much easier when you sit down to sing and will allow you to be productive in small, unobtrusive ways. 

4. Coordinate your work time with friends and family

So much of the holiday season is about spending time with loved ones, and your work doesn't have to interfere with those precious moments. Talk to your friends and family about your work goals and make "working dates" over break. Together, you can accomplish stressful tasks in a low-stress environment, perhaps over a coffee or delicious holiday treat, and share about what you're up to in your professional life. It's like a college study date but all grown up!

5. Make time to start on long-postponed projects

Winter break can be busy, but it often gives us a little extra free time as well. You can use this time to work on projects you've put off for a while. Do you have a great idea for a new opera that you just haven't written down yet? Do you need to organize your computer's desktop or hard drive? Have you been meaning to learn how to knit? Why not start these projects during your break, when you're able to get away from some of your daily distractions? Set some time aside for these side endeavors and finally take them off the back burner!

6. Don't forget to put down the work

Yes, it's important to be productive during the holidays. However, winter break is still supposed to be a break from stress, responsibility, and career pressures. Keep a strict eye on your schedule and actually put down your work when the time is up. Remember that self-care is extremely productive and essential for preventing burnout. Do something every day of break that contributes to your self-care, whether it be baking, exercising, spending time with loved ones, or simply lying down for a minute. Winter break only comes along once a year, so take advantage of it!

A little work goes a long way when it comes to winter break. Take advantage of the extra free time and start off the new year prepared, relaxed, and ready to take on whatever comes next!