As the old saying goes – holidays are best spent with family. But sometimes that is not possible for medical professionals working assignments away from home. So what do you do when that homesick feeling starts to set in? Try these simple tips to enjoy your holidays while away on assignment.
- Keep the Traditions Alive
One of the best parts of the holidays are the traditions that families have created over the years. Just because you are away from home doesn’t mean you need to miss out on those memorable traditions!
To make a very long story short, my family has a holiday tournament that takes place every year. There is a double elimination bracket, a traveling engraved trophy, and usually at least one piece of dining ware shattered a year. It is everyone’s favorite event of the year and the planning begins months in advance. For the past two years, my brother has been living away from home and has had to miss the tournament, so we accommodate him. We set up a computer on the fireplace and video chat with him. We keep him in mind while choosing the game for the tournament. That way he can still play with us while miles away.
- Create New Traditions
You are in full control as to how you spend the holidays while you are away from home on a contract assignment. You don’t have to choke down mom’s burnt green bean casserole or fake conversations with the cousins that you maybe see once a year. If you want to have tacos on Christmas Eve, have tacos on Christmas Eve! This is the time for you to spend the holidays the way that you want.
- Share the Holidays with Others
Just because you are away from home during the holidays doesn’t mean you need to spend them alone! Reach out to colleagues, neighbors, and friends that you have met while on assignment. Creating new memories with new individuals can be equally as rewarding as spending the time with family.
- Alter Your Attitude
Things are often times only as bad as you make them. Try altering your attitude and focusing on the positives rather than the negatives of being away from home during the holidays. Don’t focus on what you don’t get to do, but rather focus on what you do get to do: not that you don’t get to have a ham dinner with your family, but that you get to take a swing at making dad’s homemade cheesy potatoes. Finding the positive in these situations will make it easier to spend the time away from family. Plus, you’ll still get the cheesy potatoes.
If you have been away from home during the holidays, how have you spent the holidays?
Jordan Andersen is a Recruiter for the Aureus Medical Social Media Recruitment Team.