Vacations are essential to our emotional well-being. We all need time to unwind and focus on other things besides deadlines and daily pressures of “success”. If we do this, research has shown we will be more productive when we return to our work duties. We will also live longer and be in better health. You need to give your tired, over-worked body a chance to revive itself from daily pressures. Learning to listen to your body is essential to taking care of it and it’s hard to do when we are running from one event to another, skipping meals, running on little sleep and avoiding regular exercise.
Vacations offer us the opportunity to explore what we would like to do after retirement or as a hobby. What do you really enjoy in this life? When do you get to do it? Don’t put off today, learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life and develop both hobbies and friends to share along the way. They suggest if you do physical work, then do something on your vacation that doesn’t involve a lot of physical effort, or if you work with a lot of people you may want to take a change of pace and be more solitary. If you work on a computer all day then maybe social activity is needed, look for ways to alter you pace in life and give you rest in your daily activities. It is also a great time for talking with your partner about your goals and dreams. When we don’t take the time to explore these things, retirement can be frightening, “what will I do with my time?”
Taking a vacation also gives your office or company to give other employees a chance to fill in. By delegating responsibilities, you don’t come back to “overtime” and others have a little change of pace as well. Sometimes we do things, just because that’s the way they have always been done, while others may accomplish the same thing in a different manner. Change is a good thing when it brings about more productivity or a positive work environment. Don’t let the feeling on being indispensable stop you from spending time with your family. Don’t feel insecure about your job, others may be able to do your job, but you are a needed part of the team. If you hate weekends and can’t wait to get to work on Monday along with the other habits listed here you may have what psychiatrists call the “vacation skipper syndrome.” These traits are hard on you as a person, as well as your relationships. Try to look for the positive and focus on the benefits you will gain. Start with small vacations and build to taking time off to really enjoy it.
With the mobile technology, some employees feel as though they can’t get away. E-mail, cell phones and fax machines see to make us accessible wherever we are. Talk about your expectations before you leave and hopefully you won’t need to respond to “urgent” requests. If, that doesn’t work then set aside a certain time of day to deal with these matters and devote the rest to family time. That could be a win win for both family and employer.
Spending time together is essential to having a strong family and building relationships to last a lifetime. Your siblings are the people to know you the best as they have had many of the same experiences as you. Your children and spouse share goals and values and fun memories together. Don’t let time slip away without making family fun times a priority.
*adopted from Live Smart Ohio