How will you spend your Christmas break? Whether you’re off work for a long weekend or a few weeks, chances are you’re hoping for a meaningful and refreshing time away. Restful vacations aren’t a given, but there are things you can do to realize your hopes for your holiday.

I had high expectations for Christmas when I was in college. Driving home I would imagine quiet fireside reading, caroling, baking cookies, visiting old friends, and squeezing in all our family traditions—while also resting. In reality, the days flew by, packed full of errands, late night movies, slow-start mornings, too much sugar, and a vague sense that I hadn’t actually gotten the deep soul-rest I longed for.

Can you relate? All these years later, it’s still challenging to get everything bought and wrapped in time for Christmas while addressing cards, hosting company, serving at church, and finding time to enjoy peaceful reflection while avoiding time wasters.

In a letter to his godchild, C. S. Lewis helpfully wrote about how we tend spend our time:

Oh – I’d nearly forgotten – I have one other piece of advice. Remember that there are only three kinds of things anyone need ever do. (1) Things we ought to do (2) Things we’ve got to do (3) Things we like doing. I say this because some people seem to spend so much of their time doing things for none of these three reasons… (Letters to Children, 27)

Ouch. In every stage of life, we’re prone to fritter away time on things that aren’t required, expected, or even enjoyable. Keep reading at Boundless.org.