It’s beginning! The Great British Bank Holiday season is upon us. We’re about to enjoy a run of four fabulous bank holidays across April and May. How will you spend yours?

As tempting as it is to throw on your PJs, throw back a bottle of wine and throw off all plans, many busy entrepreneurs struggle to switch off in such a sudden manner. And it’s no surprise; we really are creatures of habit and routine plays a large part in our lives.

When we take away the commute, meetings, employees, lunch times and coffee breaks, a day can turn into an unstructured abyss with zero highlights. Unwinding actually requires activity. Not the same activities, but things that unlock our minds and get us rejuvenated, replenished and reenergised once again.

Here are Mi PA’s top tips for making the most of a Bank Holiday whether you’re heading away or staying at home.

Plan a little, relax a lot

Ordinarily, our days consist of strict regimes – even the most laid-back people are creatures of habit, following patterns for breakfast, bathing, bedtime and so on.

To truly enjoy a day off, we need to be aware of these patterns and give ourselves opportunity to experience each stage but without the usual stresses and strains.

So plan a breakfast, but make it indulgent, lazy or longer. Perhaps for you that would be breakfast in bed, or meeting with friends, or eating a full English! Whatever it is, take your time to enjoy and savour this important start to the day.

And be mindful of other patterns you savour – consciously or otherwise. The commute for instance, plays a vital role in getting the mind ready for the day ahead. What can you replace your commute with on a day off to still inject that sense of activity into your day? Could it be a run? A walk to the park with the dog? A leisurely cycle in the sunshine. Factoring this in to your Bank Holiday will allow you to create a sense of achievement – you’ve gone somewhere and done something. Entrepreneurs are renown for being attached to this sensation – why deny yourself on a day off!

Take note of your surroundings

It’s easy to take our environment for granted. A great way to rejuvenate the mind is to stimulate the senses by becoming more aware of our surroundings. You can do this in two ways – change your surroundings completely or heighten your awareness.

Changing your surroundings is the easier of the two as it happens more instinctively. If you’re going abroad for example, things will smell and look different, the weather may feel hotter or cooler, foreign languages will buzz about your ears. Take these things and revel in them because they will liven your mind.

If you’re staying at home, making small changes like altering the chair you sit in at the dinner table, on the sofa or in your favourite cafe can open up new points of view, sounds and sensations. This is about appreciating the space you’re in. It helps nurture a sense of gratitude while knocking some life into that tired mind!

What are your top tips for relaxing this Bank Holiday? Let us know in the comments. And in case they’re passing you by, the Bank Holiday dates this year are:

3 April – Friday – Good Friday

6 April – Monday – Easter Monday

4 May – Monday – Early May bank holiday

25 May – Monday – Spring bank holiday