Is It Time For A Vacation?

When work starts to drag and you find yourself watching the clock, counting down the hours until you’re released, its time for a getaway. It’s amazing what a weekend out of town or some R&R on the beach can do to clear your head and recharge your batteries.

It’s easy to get into a routine in your daily life that starts to impact the enjoyment of your regular activities. Tasks that were once exciting now seem less desirable and often feel like a chore.

We spend the majority of our lives at work surrounded by familiar faces. Breaking our habits and re-stimulating our brain by traveling to a new place, trying a new experience or simply relaxing on the beach has many health benefits. It also gives you the opportunity to meet new people who have the potential to become lifelong friends.

When you take some time to get out of town, you get to experience new and stimulating situations. After some time away you will often begin to appreciate the small nuances that make up your daily life that you have started to take for granted.

It’s also beneficial for our job productivity that we get away and refresh ourselves every so often. Productivity levels begin to deteriorate when we overextend ourselves and begin to dwell on our work 24/7. When returning to work, we feel recharged and rejuvenated; motivated to take on our tasks without the “when is this day going to end” soundtrack playing in our heads.

When you go on vacation you are also able to renew your relationships with friends and loved ones. You realize how much they mean to you. Seeing sights and experiencing new activities with those we love creates shared memories that can last a lifetime. Furthermore, it gives you quality time together, reconnecting and rebuilding solid relationships.

How long should this break be? This will depend on a number of factors: What is your financial situation? How hard have you been working recently? How long has it been since your last time away? How much time will your workplace allow you to take off?

Do not underestimate the benefits of a short and sweet weekend get away to take your mind off work and home routines for a few days. Sometimes, this is all that we can afford to take, both financially and actual time off.

Going out of town does not necessarily have to break the bank. Airbnb.com, a highly recommended website, offers many affordable short-term rentals that make shorter vacations much easier.

You can either choose to do your research online to find out fun local activities in the area you would like to visit, or you can decide just to relax and take a load off your mind with a good book. These are two fantastic options.

Alternatively, you may be thinking something with a little more longevity. Such an expensive venture takes careful planning and saving. Most people make it a part of their annual routine. Something they can look forward to and plan towards a trip all throughout the year. Some have found it helpful to take such a holiday after finishing that big work push and it’s time to enjoy a margarita on the beach in a tropical paradise.

If you are an adventure seeker, sit down and carefully plan your annual vacation itinerary beforehand to make sure you can fit in everything you want to do.

People often undervalue the importance of intentionally including some play time in their busy routines. Working extremely hard, day after day, is rewarding; but you are most certainly entitled to celebrate your efforts by taking some time away to get your head back in the game. A wise person once said: “A person does not live to work, but works to live.”

I’d recommend going somewhere with sunshine to get your fill of vitamin D. I mean come on, it’s nearly impossible to feel anything but happiness with rays of sunshine beating down on your face.

Take a second to think about when you took your last vacation. Are you almost due for another adventure? If you’re counting down the minutes at work then the answer is probably yes!

Take a break, have fun, and enjoy yourself.

Happy Jetsetting!