This Blog is an outlet for the random thoughts of an amateur opinionator.
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> This is how to geT awaY your geTawaY
Author: aLmich
Vacation, schmacation. Taking time off sometimes seems like more trouble than it’s worth: the frenzied push to get everything done before you go, the zillions of Transaction Monitoring Forms to be filed and e-mail messages to answer when you get back. Maybe that’s why, many of us don’t take all the vacation days we’re entitled to, minus the fact also that our superior wouldn’t just let us to do so [on my case it's more difficult because my manager is also a friend].
A simple vacation will. Even after the shift you can enjoy the luxury of a get away. I just recently did with Mami Abis generosity. She invited us for a fiesta vacation on their hometown - Bauan Batangas. I really enjoyed it.
This simple getaway simply proves that there are ways,to ease those transitions on both ends and to wring enough satisfaction out of our week off to last us. . . well, for a few days after we get back.
So what I can suggest?
Take Your Time: The first step toward achieving vacation nirvana is, duh, to take the time you’re due. And don’t view that as shirking work: A good vacation,”means you come back recharged, somehow, at peace or re-energized, with new eyes and ready to rock and roll again.”
Go Away: Don’t spend your vacation at home. “Get away from your normal space and the people you’re normally around,” Even if you just drive somewhere an hour away. “You don’t have to go clear around the world to get away and come back tired. You can get the benefits of vacation in a simpler way” by taking a low-key trip.
Plan: Start thinking about your vacation at the beginning of the year. Many people end up settling for something less than the trip of their dreams.
But Don’t Overplan: On the other hand,let me warn you, “a carefully scripted vacation full of to-do lists can mirror our working life, so we don’t get the payoff we want.” Instead,come up with a general list of things you want to do while you’re away, search the Internet for information about your options, but wait until you arrive at your destination to pull it all together.
Mix It Up:”You need two parts to your vacation to get recuperative benefits,”You need ‘discovery’ time, and you need downtime. . . . You need some participatory elements to get the juice out of a vacation. Take a salsa class at the hotel. Comb through local listings to find something to do. Get out of your comfort zone,”. “You can literally put on a new personality, try on a new life.”
Avoid the Last-Day Rush: I suggest blocking off that last day at work as a wrap-up day. “Don’t count on that last day to work on projects that require concentration or creativity,”. I also recommend handing off projects to co-workers a few days ahead of time. Build in some time to explain the work well to a colleague. No matter what,”you can’t finish everything before you go away. My rule is that that last working stops at Saturday, 6am.”
And the First-Day Frenzy: Schedule yourself some fudge time to address the work that’s piled up in your absence. Tell people you’re not returning until Monday afternoon or even Tuesday, so you’ll have some quiet time to return calls and check your calendar. Rule of thumb: Book one hour of this free time for every day you’ve been away.
Manage Your Mail: Make a decision — and agree to it verbally with your vacation partners — about when you’re going to check your mail.
And Those Who Mail You: Whatever schedule you come up with, be sure to let people know.
Build In a Bonus: To maintain that vacation glow, I advise planning a treat for yourself sometime during your first week back. “Give yourself something to look forward to: a dinner out with friends, a massage, something to extend the vacation.”
After doing these things, you’ll be surprised to know how simple things can relieve you from the normal day to day stress. And yeah, I have a picture to brag too.
