People work too much. Seriously. Study after study shows that most Americans don’t even take all their vacation time. Only about half use all their time off while the rest don’t. That’s pathetic!
Even worse, 61% of American’s work while on vacation.
People are afraid to take time off and relax. Some because they work for a boss who can’t take time off him or herself or because they are afraid that by being gone they will come back to too much work (making going on vacation a dread) or even come back to no job at all.
That kind of fear is far too common. Unfortunately. Everyone knows that if you can take some time off, real time off, you feel rested and rejuvenated.
Now as a business owner it’s hard to take time off and not be on all the time. I definitely don’t have anyone covering, I’m a one-woman show!
That said, it’s still important to take down-time and get away. Last week I decided that I needed a road trip to some remote places where “No Service” shows on your phone most of the time. I headed to Colorado to enjoy the mountains there.
I take a ton of pictures while traveling so if I have any kind of connection I usually load those to Facebook but other than that and quick checks on client emails I worked maybe two hours max the entire week. I can work from anywhere but what good is it to constantly work if the goal is to get some downtime?
As I’m writing this it’s been four days since I did any kind of work. I’ve seen bears, elk, moose, and all kind of wildlife. I’ve seen incredible wilderness vistas and have had wonderful conversations with fellow travelers. I’ve decompressed by being away from the busyness and guess what? I feel rejuvenated.
I think many don’t know how hyped up they are until they force themselves to take a little downtime. Maybe that’s why so many don’t take all their vacation time. People don’t know how to relax. They don’t know how to stay away from emails, social media and the news. The thought of not being connected for even a few days can freak people out.
As I’m writing this I’m watching the rain fall outside. I’m at a cafe in Colorado. With rain in the forecast all day I decided it was time to get a little work done. Check in with the world. Somehow it’s still standing. Gasp!
I’m challenging all of you to truly take time off. No work, no emails, no social media for at least a few days. Go out in nature and listen to the birds. Give your brain and yourself some quiet time. Time away from work. Away from the busyness. Decompress. Turn off your cellphone. It will also boost your productivity and creativity. Even if you only take a day off go outside in nature, spend it at the park or go for a hike. Disconnect with the busy world.
When was the last time you took a real vacation?
Great Post Camilla – and so glad you enjoyed all the “no service” zones here in Colorado!
Thanks Mike! Love the ‘no service’ zones…people talk to each other instead of looking at their phones 🙂
Great post & so true!
I recently took a ‘vacation’… my first in TWO years & I worked every day to keep my boss happy.
Since then, I realized I shouldn’t be working all the time & have stopped continuing work through the weekends by staying away from work e-mail and texts.
Stephanie recently posted…WOOTD: 9/4/15
Thank you Stephanie! I’m so glad you are taking steps to set up boundaries. Working every day during your first vacation in two years isn’t right. People train those around them that they are available 24/7. Takes a little adjusting and re-training when you change that so your boss and co-workers may need a few reminders 🙂
Well said, Camilla. Not enough people know how to relax, that’s so true. It’s probably getting worse as the internet permeates our lives. My company lets you carry over 4 weeks from year to year, and yet there are plenty of people I work with losing more time than that. They just can’t relax!
Thanks Ethan! Wow…4 weeks per year. That adds up fast if they are not using it! Truly sad as if they took that time and relaxed they would be more productive and enjoy their job more. And you’re right, as great as the internet is, it has also completely taken over our lives. I seek out the No Service areas – not so much because of no cell phone access, I turn my phone to Airplane Mode all the time, but because you get to have conversations with people. No one is staring at their phones. It’s wonderful.