Why Everyone Needs a Vacation

If you're new here, welcome!You may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. You can also subscribe for email updates if you'd like. Thanks for visiting!

Having just returned from a 5 day trip to Oregon, I feel so thankful for the short time away from work. I haven’t gotten many vacations in my working life, so this felt extra special. There was really no reason for it - there wasn’t a holiday or a special family event I had to go to. It was just me and my boyfriend, driving up the coast, eating some great food, listening to music, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the company of one another.

I couldn’t be a bigger fan of vacations! To help convince you that it’s time for your next vacation, I’ve listed a few reasons why vacations play a necessary role in our lives and how they improve our job satisfaction.

Renewed Sense of Appreciation

While they can be fun and relaxing, vacations can also do amazing things for the psyche. Often times, people return to “normal life” feeling a renewed sense of appreciation and purpose. Having visited an unfamiliar area, I returned home with a new perspective. I appreciate everything a little bit more. Even though the place we visited was beautiful, it just wasn’t the same as home. Now, the familiar cozy details of home seem much more special. Returning to work is just another part of the life I love and missed so much. Also, I’m so grateful to have a job that allows for time off and understands the importance of vacations. Driving through some of the more rural parts of the west coast, I was reminded of how fortunate I am to comfortably live and work in Northern California.

Relaxation and Stress Relief

A few days out of the office does an immense amount for stress reduction. It’s funny that I didn’t even think about work for a whole week. I thought it would difficult but (surprise, surprise) it was actually pretty easy! From the moment we left town, I felt my entire body relaxing. I had no schedule to attend to, no meetings, nothing on my “to do” list except “have fun” and that was a wonderfully easy task. I am hoping to maintain this feeling as I ease back into work. While I know I have to pick up the pace and step back into the busy lifestyle I’ve come to know so well, I will certainly do my best to keep the feelings of anxiety and stress to a minimum. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I’ll take a minute to picture the beautiful sunset around Mt. Shasta as we drove home yesterday. Ah - such a peaceful and serene memory.

Increased Enthusiasm

Going back to work is something I’m actually excited about. I’ve missed my colleagues, my boss, and even my office. I can’t wait to hear how certain projects are going. Getting back into the swing of things will undoubtedly be a little hectic, but I’m eager to jump in. A week went by so quickly but I’m sure a lot has happened and there will be a lot of catching up to do.

Feeling Needed

The best part about going back to work after a vacation is when everyone tells you how much you were missed. Nothing feels better than to feel necessary. While I’m sure my absence didn’t crash the company, I think there were probably a few times that my colleagues truly appreciated the work I do on a daily basis. When you’re gone, other people have to pick up the slack. They get a chance to experience firsthand what you do. Your contribution is recognized so much more after you’ve been away for a while. It doesn’t need to happen very often for your co-workers to really gain a strong appreciation of your work.

If you liked that post, then try these...

How Do You Learn? by Chrissy on March 31st, 2008

How to Be Proactive: A Quick Review by Chrissy on September 18th, 2007

How to Break Into a New Career (With No Experience in the Field) by Chrissy on January 20th, 2008

Don't Miss Out! Subscribe to The EA Toolbox Feed or Register for Email Updates

Comments

One Response to “Why Everyone Needs a Vacation”

Beach Vacations » Why Everyone Needs a Vacation on October 14th, 2007 8:10 pm

[…] Chrissy wrote an interesting post today on Why Everyone Needs a VacationHere’s a quick excerptTropical Beach Having just returned from a 5 day trip to Oregon, I feel so thankful for the short time away from work. I haven’t gotten many vacations in my working life, so this felt extra special. There was really no reason for it … […]

Leave a Reply