‘The way we live our lives is not ideal’: Sharyn Ghidella on her holiday revelation

Aren’t holidays the best. A great time to reset, reflect and take stock of what our lives have become … and wonder why on earth we work so damn hard the rest of the year

Channel 10 Brisbane newsreader Sharyn Ghidella. Picture: David Kelly

Aren’t holidays a great time for reflection. Finally, after a crazy busy year, along comes Christmas and the New Year. A couple of weeks away from the madness that is modern living, from setting alarm clocks and racing out the door.

No more yelling at your children that they’re now running late for the bus, and doing your best impersonation of Max Verstappen to get them there.

Yes, aren’t holidays the best. A great time to reset, reflect and take stock of what our lives have become … and wonder why on earth we work so damn hard the rest of the year when we’re not unwinding – or more likely getting wound up – in a hammock.

Why are we so focused on attaining lofty goals that never make us any more happy than when we are spending time with the people we love and stuffing our face with Christmas fare.

(Well, maybe the latter does come with some form of buyer’s regret, particularly when you have to return to work and can’t fit into any of your old clothes.)

The six words you never want to hear your children say: Sharyn Ghidella

Sharyn Ghidella confesses she is a hoarder

Yes, the holidays are a great time to realise that the way we live our lives the other 48 weeks of the year is not always ideal and can be quite counter-productive to the way our bodies and minds are programmed to function.

Now, I’m not what you’d call a spiritual soul.

I try very hard not to delve too deep into my psyche – for fear of what I might actually discover.

If I went to Bali, I wouldn’t return with a suntan and a suitcase packed with enlightenment, although I do like the idea of getting hair braids … just so I don’t have to wash and blow dry my hair any more.

Yes, I’m not one to have awakenings or epiphanies but just waking up not feeling tired and strung out has a strange way of making me feel so much better about the world and my little place in it.

In fact, not having to think about what to put in my sons’ lunch boxes is a good enough holiday for me.

Who needs Paris, when your first waking thought is: Should I throw caution to the wind and have yoghurt with my muesli this morning or just keep it raw?

Or should I put an extra shot of coffee in my cup as I leisurely read my favourite newspaper columnist, the delightful Fran Whiting. (I reckon Fran would have that extra shot or maybe she’d just ditch the coffee and suggest a glass of Champagne instead.)

To be honest, I don’t even think much about coffee on my holidays, because suddenly I realise I’m not tired any more.

Who needs an extra shot when you don’t even need a shot at all.

Sharyn Ghidella. Picture: David Kelly

And none of this is purely anecdotal. The positivity that comes with taking time off is firmly grounded in scientific research.

Google it and there is no shortage of studies proclaiming the proven benefits of taking a break.

The findings are overwhelming: holidays positively impact mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

Seems there is something beneficial in not knowing what time of day it is, even what day it is, or having no concept of time at all – unless, of course, you need to catch a plane to the Bahamas.

There is also plenty of proof that big ideas that changed the world were often conceived by people taking time out.

Instagram, frozen food, the GoPro, Velcro and the modern swimsuit were all reportedly conceived by people away from the office.

Holidays are a great way of decluttering the mind and reversing stifling cognitive fatigue.

But, sadly, there is also no shortage of research on how quickly burnout sets in again when the holiday comes to an end.

Within weeks, we revert back to our old routines. We just lapse back into everyday life. Sadly, we
don’t have a choice to completely dispense with the alarm clock.

So, as we sail through another new year, yet again I’m trying to convince myself to slow down, to go to bed earlier, to read more books and not answer emails outside of work hours. Say no to things that don’t bring me joy.

The promise of a more balanced life is there just waiting to be tapped – if only we all knew how to turn the tap on.

If only we knew how to make holiday living a more permanent form of lifestyle.