It’s so easy to get dug into the day-in-day-out flow of our lives. Wake up, shower, get dressed, drink a warm cup of coffee or two, and go to work for the usual 9-5. Repeat for five days a week, and enjoy the reward of the first time off our feet when we finally tuck ourselves into bed at night. Ideally, we feel fulfilled and ready to go again the next day. But what happens when that overnight recharge isn’t quite enough? How do we give ourselves the balance we need? Taking our vacation time is a great way to start!
Finding this balance isn’t only important for your health, but also for the energy and dedication you bring to work. We can hold ourselves to our highest standards, but we won’t be able to meet them if we don’t have the relaxation that vacation provides. We cannot pour from an empty cup. No one wants to give less than their best to their colleagues. Recharging during a getaway means you can bring your best self back to work.
Beyond helping our co-workers, vacations are vital for our own work-life balance. There is more to life than the daily grind, and we shouldn’t shortchange ourselves. Vacations give us time with family. Time with friends. Time with ourselves to check in and ask what we need to feel rejuvenated. You are not doing anything wrong by taking this time for yourself. It is just like your pay; you have earned this time, and you need to take it!
Consider how much more important this vacation time is if you are a supervisor. If you take vacations, you set the tone that you value family, health, and a work-life balance for every employee. You send the message that they, too, should take the time they have earned to go on vacation and recalibrate their mental health. When you return from your vacation, you will come back even more prepared to lead and make important guiding decisions for your organization.
Don’t have the money saved for an extravagant trip to Santorini? That’s okay! Pack your bags for a weekend at your nearest campground. Plan a drive to visit a nearby friend for a few days. You honestly don’t even need to leave the comforts of home, so long as you can dedicate yourself to true relaxation there. You can stay cozied up at the house, or go on far-away safaris, but you owe it to yourself to get away from the office.
Here’s the reality. Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet. Your health and the health of your co-workers depend on work-life balance. There is no medal for being the last car in the parking lot. There is no cookie for having the most overtime. What would I do differently in my career? – take my vacations! They would have lowered my stress levels and my blood pressure. Depriving yourself of your vacation time only hurts you. Unless you have concrete plans for a future vacation that requires extra days, don’t squirrel your days away. Take all the time you have earned each year. Your colleagues, your family, and your health will thank you!
