It’s time to give yourself a break. You know you need it.
It’s never too late to take a few days off and get away from it all. Of course, summer is one of the best times to think about a vacation. But some of my best vacations ever have been at different times throughout the year. There’s always a great place to go and a great time to be there.
Travel has always been one of my passions. For me, there’s nothing like exploring and experiencing a new place. But, I haven’t always felt I could get away. And that was usually when I needed to most.
It’s not just work we need to get away from. It’s everything else too.
One of my favorite sayings is “You’ve got to unplug to recharge.”
Think about it. It’s true. Make unplugging part of getting away from it all.
Once you actually get away, you’ll want to be present. Sounds odd, doesn’t it. But how often do you hear people say it takes them three to four days just to unwind and start to relax. It’s true.
But again, that’s the point. That’s why getting away from it all every now and then is so important. Make sure you–your inner you, comes along too.
A new place gives you new perspective. I don’t often seek out conversation with people I don’t know. But sometimes I do and I rarely regret it. Talk about things you don’t usually talk about.
I learned a great question recently on Super Soul Sunday… Charles Eisenstein asks, “What’s it like to be you?” Don’t translate the “you” to yourself, this time it means the other person. Find out what it’s like to be them. Pretty cool?
Be sure to spend some “alone time” if you can. It helps the rebooting process. There’s no rule of travel that says travel companions have to spend every minute together. Try it. Explore the idea.
Make it an adventure. If you’re going someplace new, why not try some new things too? Isn’t that what it’s about? Ask a local how… they have the best answers.
Unused vacation days are a symptom of the times.
It may be hard to remember back far enough. But, at one time Americans actually used their vacation days. All of them. It was expected. It was understood.
I’m not sure what started the trend, or exactly when it happened. But somewhere along the way, “they” began to change the bargain. Now it seems that for far too many of us, taking a real vacation has become a distant memory of times gone by.
I have some Australian friends who simply don’t get this. Danny, Andrea, Scott… please help us. We need to learn how you do this “holiday” thing so well.
We’ve got to give ourselves permission to use our vacation days. It’s so essential to our health and well-being.
Get this thought out of your head…
“There’s no way. I have too much going on right now.” But, isn’t that the point exactly? “Too much going on” is exactly why you need to get away.
Here’s what to do. Here’s how…
The first and most important step is to pick a time and schedule it. Get it on the calendar. Like the productivity experts like to say, “What gets scheduled, gets done.”
Once you’ve done that you’ll need to pick where you’re going to go. Yes, go. Get away. Go somewhere different. Ideally somewhere you’ve never been before.
Strike that. You can go wherever you want. As long as it qualifies as getting away. Favorite places are just fine too.
Try to pick someplace beautiful. Get back to nature… find someplace wild. We went to Yellowstone for the first time last year. I can’t believe we waited so long. It was other worldly.
Funny thing about me suggesting someplace “wild.” When Lanette and I were first married, I always wanted to visit big cities. Give me New York, Chicago, Boston (not LA though, sorry LA). And she was always saying, “I need wildness, give me some wildness.” It took a while, but I now know what she means… and why she’s right.
You have options…
The world has changed, so maybe we have to change things up a bit too. With the goal of having a real vacation as often as we can make it happen.
- People used to take two-week vacations all the time. It once was the standard. Realistically, that’s not going to happen for most of us unless we make some really long-term plans. So do it. Maybe your boss will react poorly of you tell her that you’re going to be gone for two weeks starting in two weeks. What if you propose it for next year?
- I once became the master of the mini vacation. Tack on two or three days with a weekend and you have almost a week with only a couple of days away from the office. This was how I managed multiple vacations each year when I only had a couple of weeks total available.
- Begin to think strategically, and you’ll be able to take more time off than you think. Once you get into the routine, it’ll become easier.
- Don’t know what to do? I could write a whole other post on that alone, or a magazine, or a book. Seriously, somebody should do that. Until then… Google a little, then dream a little.
- If there is no other option, the nouveau “staycation” still does a body good. Don’t commute. Don’t do work. Don’t call the office. Don’t email. Just have a good time with friends and family and maybe sleep in a little.
Some strategies to keep them from tracking you down…
- Use time zones to your advantage in selecting a destination.
- Start talking about it weeks in advance. If you do it right, people will rally to support you because they know it’ll make it easier for them.
- Let everyone know you’ll be away and tell them who your pinch hitter is.
- Tell them you’ll be back and it’s only a few days.
- Go to places with limited cellular and internet coverage. There are more than you think despite what the Verizon guy may be telling you.
- Set your out of office voice and email messages. Explain that there’s limited connectivity where you’re going (it’s all a matter of what limited means).
- I’m sorry… you’re breaking up… huh?
Here are a few more thoughts if you still need some convincing…
- Think of it as not taking a paycheck. You wouldn’t ever do that, now would you?
- In a recent post, Michael Hyatt cited a Project: Time Off stat that said in 2015, Americans left some 658 million vacation days on the table, AND… they lost 222 million of them forever… no roll-over, payout, buy-back, nada!
- Who does that? Well… in 2013, I did. Crazy, I know!
- Your workplace only adds a little variety to your life’s experience… so mix it up.
- We keep hearing on the news how we’re not taking our vacation. That just adds to the anxiety. The bottom line truth is most people still take time off. It’s a lot more fun to be part of those who do.
If you’re a human living in 2017 and beyond, one thing is for sure. You need a break. From just about everything!
Great, you’re going to do it. Now is one time to be a little selfish.
Keep your eyes on the purpose of your vacation. Once again, give yourself permission. This is the time to leave work behind and not worry about anything until you get back.
Take the time, get away, unplug, recharge, have some fun, laugh a little, make it an adventure.
Go ahead, take that vacation… I dare you.
What do you think? How do you like to recharge and reboot?
Thanks for visiting LifeUntucked.net! We’ll be exploring this amazing, hyper-connected world and figuring out how to live large through smaller things and simpler ways. I post on Wednesdays (except this time).
If you found this post interesting, I’d like to invite you to subscribe.
Just click the box below or to the side… depending on what device you’re using.
Leave a Reply