Our tips for disconnecting during the holidays
July 11, 2025
The holidays are approaching. They should give you a chance to detach yourself from everyday life, to take a break. But let's face it, disconnecting from your professional obligations, switching off your phone and your constant notifications isn't always easy. To help you achieve this, we've compiled a few practical tips for gently disconnecting before and during your leave, even if you're not going away.
With a minimum of 26 days holiday per year and 11 public holidays per year, Luxembourg is one of the top 10 most generous European countries in terms of paid holidays. This summer, perhaps you'll join 68% of Luxembourg holidaymakers* who go on holiday primarily to relax. Maybe you'll stay at home, but make sure you switch off. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of a well-deserved break.
Before you leave: at work, preparing for your absence
Ensure that projects are monitored
Before you go on leave, it's important to finish any files that need finishing and hand over any ongoing projects. This way, you can leave with peace of mind, knowing that your work will be followed up while you're away.
Depending on your level of responsibility in the company, you may need to remain contactable during your holidays. In this case, and as far as possible, we advise you to plan a time slot that will determine very specific times when you can be called in an emergency. In this way, you can avoid your work taking over your leisure time. It can also be useful to tell your colleagues when they can be called on during your holidays and to give a few examples of ‘urgent situations’ that justify contacting you.
Say goodbye to notifications
It's clear that you shouldn't let yourself be overwhelmed by incessant notifications from your smartphone. The best solution is simply to deactivate them, in your settings, while you're on holiday. That way you won't be tempted to check your e-mails and get back into the stress of the office. While you're at it, you can put all your applications on the back burner, especially those on social networks, to give your brain a real rest.
The right to disconnect
Disconnecting is not just a matter of personal choice, it is also a right that has been enshrined in the Luxembourg Labour Code since 2023. Every employee has the right not to be solicited during their holidays, whether by calls, messages or e-mails. Employers, for their part, are responsible for ensuring that this break is actually possible during breaks, rest periods or holidays.
The automatic out-of-office message
Writing and programming an automatic absence message will allow you to put yourself in holiday mode for good. It's just another way of sending a clear message to all your contacts. From that precise date, you're officially on holiday: time to relax!
During the holiday: relax
Cutting out the screens
We live in an increasingly technological and connected environment. Screens are part of our daily lives, especially when we work in an office. When you're on holiday, we recommend that you get away from the screens and prefer other relaxing and rejuvenating activities, such as reading. According to a study carried out by the University of Sussex in the UK, reading for just 6 minutes is enough to slow your heart rate and relieve muscle tension. What's more, when we read, by being sucked into the story of other characters, we take our minds off ourselves and our problems.
If you need to stock up on books for the holidays, you can use your Pluxee gift vouchers at Fnac Luxembourg, but also at Auchan, Cactus and E.Leclerc, which have bookshop sections (novels, comics, holiday notebooks, etc.).
Reconnecting with nature
To disconnect from the virtual world... wouldn't the simplest thing be to reconnect with the real world? And what better way of doing that than in contact with nature? In the forest, on the beach, in the mountains or in the countryside, the principle is the same everywhere: slow down and contemplate, breathe deeply, take the time to look, listen, smell, touch... and live the present moment with full awareness.
Playing sport outdoors is an excellent way to reconnect with yourself: hiking, water sports, cycling and running are just some of the sporting activities you can enjoy in the great outdoors. The simple act of walking while listening to the sensations running through your body is enough to soothe you and give you a sense of well-being.
Taking the time
If we don't slow down during the holidays, when can we? We're all caught up in the whirlwind of daily and professional life, with agendas and deadlines, to-do lists and goals. Françoise Sagan once described making time for yourself as a hobby: ‘My favourite pastime is letting time go by, having time, taking time, wasting time, living against the clock’. Today, you might even call it a luxury.
So, when we're on holiday, let's do what Françoise did, seize the opportunity and take the time to... do nothing!
