We put all the office talk aside in this Christmas article and deep dive into the holidays — locations and experiences best for agents who want to disconnect from work, reconnect with family, friends and the world, or just get a new and inspiring perspective.
Something we don’t talk about enough, as agents, is taking holidays. Partly that’s because something most of us don’t have enough time for, is actually researching and booking a holiday — even though our demanding and busy lives mean we desperately need one.
Through the year, the office is pumping, listing presentations are waiting, tenants are calling, buyers are enquiring, and though Christmas may be an opportunity to catch up or capitalise on competitors being away, it’s also a chance to take a breather, relax, and prioritise yourself and your family.
To help you find the perfect holiday, we’ve shortlisted five different experiences that will get you out of the office and into the right mindset to unwind before next year rolls in.
1. Go off grid, go tiny
As agents, you will no doubt be aware that a tiny house craze is taking over the whole world — well, at least the lifestyle channels on television.
Across the developed globe, people are ditching their 180 square metre homes, minimising their belongings and moving into smaller, easier to maintain — and mobile — tiny houses.
Living in a tiny house may not be for you, but holidaying in one is an absolute adventure! In Australia, tinies are not only parked in some of the most picturesque locations, overlooking beautiful ocean views or minutes from world-famous wineries, they offer everything you need, in the simplest of ways.
It’s not quite camping or even glamping, it’s a unique perspective on living with less… and enjoying every minute of it.
If you’re interested in trying out a tiny holiday, in2thewild is a great place to get started.
2. Explore in comfort
If the idea of stepping up from traditional camping, while also seeing multiple locations with ease, is more what you need, hiring a tray-based camper and plotting a path through some of Australia’s best scenery is a must!
Campers like TrayOn, pop up in minutes, feature a kitchenette with fridge and a separate sleeper (not the old converted couch) and all fit neatly onto the back of a spacious dual cab ute.
Get started by planning an easy adventure up the east coast of Australia, taking in everything from the hustle and bustle of Sydney, through to the glamour of the Goldy and onto the calm serenity of Cairns and beyond.
If the red soil is more what you’re after, fly into Perth, hire your camper, and stick to the coastline, all the way to the birthplace of thousands of tiny turtles in Exmouth.
As an agent, this is a rare opportunity to limit your access to email and phone calls, so you can truly switch off and get to know more of this great land that you work so hard to sell every day.
3. Find amazing people
Sometimes, after a tough year of dealing with the demands of emotional buyers, sellers and landlords, what you really need is your faith in humanity restored. You need to be surrounded by people who are helpful and kind, but don’t really want anything from you.
While Australia has brilliant people, jumping on a plane and heading to Fiji takes you to a country renowned for the easy-going, relaxed and friendly nature of its people.
If you want to explore further afield and perhaps not be surrounded by so many western tourists, first-hand reports tell us Taiwan is an unexpected oasis of friendliness!
Though the cities can be busy, it also offers beautiful coastline, small regional towns and the chance to jump on a scooter and scout around, without needing to dodge every other Aussie on a bike like in Thailand and Bali.
The local people are beyond friendly — some of the nicest we’ve encountered — and always willing to help you figure out where you are now or where you’re trying to go.
4. Remember the magic of Christmas
When a year has been more draining than usual, Christmas shopping has been exhausting and it looks like this holiday, it will be difficult to really forget the listings and landlords you have left behind, finding ‘the spirit’ can be impossible.
Not in Lapland!
If you haven’t heard of it, Lapland is the location not only of some excellent skiing and winter sports, but more importantly, it is the home of Santa’s workshop — the real deal! To add to the magic, why not book a glass-top yurt and revel in the spectacular Northern Lights.
5. Surprise me!
If you don’t have time to book a holiday, or even think about where it is you would like to go, why not make it a surprise!
There are now a number of websites dedicated to booking your end-to-end surprise holiday for you.
Let the travel agent know what you’re looking for — ‘I’m a busy agent and I just want to unwind’ — ‘Everything has been about work this year, hit me with some culture’ and wait to find out what the holiday lucky dip has in store.
After a year of needing to control every tactic and every move, letting go and allowing someone else to surprise you with a carefully-planned adventure can be just what you need!
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While sharing our team’s favourite holiday spots might seem a strange move for a company like the EAC, something we have paid particular attention to in supporting our members this year, is the importance of maintaining mental health, and also managing high performance offices.
Research tells us that agents who have a balanced life and regular access to rest and get away, are often more motivated and productive when they are at work.
None of us is immune to fatigue, and the best cure is getting away from it all, switching off and doing something you enjoy.