When is the last time you went on a vacation from work? With the travel restrictions, COVID-19 concerns, and other economic barriers, this may sound like a ridiculous question. It is a question worth considering.
You don’t have to leave your city to take some time off from work. This type of vacation, stay-cation, can also provide you with personal and professional benefits.
With last week’s election that appeared never-ending, you may need a few days to decompress. Saturday's announcement of Biden's win as the President-Elect of the US and Harris as the future Vice-President is cause for celebration. They have much work to do, but removing #45 is a step in the right direction.
If you had a full-time job and engaged in grassroots organizing in 2020, a break is overdue and a necessary reward!
Last week, I took vacation days to recenter myself and spend time with my family. I exercised multiple times each day, finished a meaningful project with 100 instructional videos, read some fiction, and watched movies with my wife and kids. It was a good and much needed week away from the university because I haven't taken time off since the coronavirus's arrival to Antigua and Barbuda's shores.
You need genuine rest to thrive and handle stress. When you’re on vacation, do not check your work email. Do your best to pause all job-related responsibilities. Before leaving, delegate someone in the office to cover your workload while away.
I know that compliance with the suggestion to take time off work is not easy. When passion and purpose drive you, a vacation may feel impossible and undesirable. You should still do it because when we break our routines, we often experience breakthroughs.
New ideas, creative products, and valuable services can sprout from the roots of your relaxation.
We get one body in this life. Rest and recovery are essential activities for a life well-lived. The pending stay at home orders due to the increase in corona cases may serve as the blessing your body needs.
Try developing a meditation practice if vacation still feels like an irrational idea. Begin today by creating a schedule that includes daily time for silence. You can use a guided meditation app or one of the meditation videos included in the project I completed while on vacation.
If meditation is hard for you, be patient, it takes sixty-six days to build a lasting habit.
I don't always do good at taking time off. If you talk to my wife, she might say that I am always doing something and don't know how to sit still! Following this blog or other spaces where I share online content, might also provide you with evidence of my difficulties with the message of this post. Yes, I struggle with prioritizing rest, but I am grateful and feel restored when I practice what I have shared with you this week.
I want you to live a long and successful life. You need time off to strengthen your immune system and improve your services to the community.
Celebrate the election victory and plan your next stay-cation away from the office. Now, share this post with one workaholic in your circle.
Comments