Lots of us have vision boards of our ideal vacations, follow lifestyle travelers on social media or look up flights to our perfect destination only to never actually go for it…then never take a vacation at all! We might even look at those “professional vacationers” and think that could never be us…Well it can, and for so many reasons, it SHOULD be us. One of those reasons is stress. I am a stress magnet. Something goes wrong and I am instantly stressed TF out! Deadlines are approaching – I tense up, or I have to work with someone I don’t vibe with and my whole situation is just wrong for the rest of the project. You know what one thing we can all do to decrease the amount of stress we have? Vacation – Stay-cation, whatever you can do, just get away and breath some new air! Stress is just one of many reasons to take vacations.
If you have a job that requires creativity, taking a vacation will remove the “crunch time – deadline” stress, and allow your “creative juices” to actually flow! Most people are at their most creative when they are comfortable and relaxed. There’s nothing more relaxing than taking a vacation as far away from your office and those deadlines as possible. Immersing yourself in a different culture, and way of life can also open you up to new ways of thinking. Gaining a new perspective in life is guaranteed to help you be more creative, not only in your career but in your personal life too!
You know how taking a lunch break in the day is so important not just to get a meal, but to take a bit of time away from work so you can wind down for a minute, and hopefully come back refreshed? And when you take that lunch break with your work-best friend it makes the time and even the rest of the day so much easier to bare? Well, you NEED to take a break from time to time so you don’t burn yourself out. Working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, no breaks, no vacation, you are going to burn yourself out. Not only are you getting time away from what might be a stressful, or mundane workplace, but include friends and family and you could be lowering stress for everyone involved and build stronger personal relationships that will last forever.
Taking a vacation can actually have an effect on your health. Everything from lowering your blood pressure to being an overall happier person. A Google search on vacations effect on depression shows that there is a significant drop in depression when people vacation more often.
You have most likely already earned the time off! Depending on how long you’ve been in your current position, you may already be entitled to up to 2 weeks of vacation time a year! Don’t have the time in rate (weeks, months, or years spent in a position before benefits can be earned) yet? You can still get away for a weekend, or however many days you get off weekly. Vacationing doesn’t have to mean flying to the Bahamas, or even Las Vegas. Take your time off to explore the next city over or even the next state. Go see a concert at a different venue, get a hotel room so you don’t have to worry about making the bed, cooking, or who’s taking out the trash! It’s a short drive or bus ride and even that will reduce your stress level!
The travel bug is real, and once you start with one, you will know how to start planning for your next and build a lifestyle that can lead to not only a healthy and happier life but one that can even make you more productive at work and prevent burnout. Take a leap and start planning your trip now!
Happy Vacationing!
-Nikki
