“Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor.”
– Paul Hawken
Vacation? What’s a vacation? Honestly, I lived WITHOUT taking a vacation for years. Did I have the earned hours? Absolutely! In fact, I carried a balance in excess of 200 vacation hours for years…crazy when I think about it!
But I was busy, oh so busy and I thought I couldn’t afford to take the time off. In hindsight, I could not afford NOT to take the time off.
I always seem to learn the hard way and that was one of the hardest lessons of my career. But now, I not only plan vacations and short get aways, but I tend to live in a vacation mindset all year. And, that does not mean that I don’t work…far from it. But when we find joy in the ordinary each day and we find purpose in our work, we will embody the right mindset.
FIVE IMPORTANT REASONS TO TAKE A VACATION:
👉 1) To Rest, Refresh, Reset and Boost Your Well-Being: You need to rest your body and your mind. You need to take a break from answering emails, checking off tasks, meeting with clients, etc. Your mind needs to rest from both the mundane and challenging tasks that you face on a daily basis. Be sure to set your emails to “Out of Office.” And mean it – don’t check your emails at all. Tell your coworkers not to bother you. Period. This mental break is critical. You will be amazed at what happens when you do this. At a minimum, you will have a refreshed perspective and boost to your well-being.
👉 2) To Inspire Creativity: When you rest your brain from the ordinary and change your scenery and daily habits, you will find yourself energized with creativity and inspiration. It forces our brain to process new surroundings and think in new ways. Go for morning walks on the beach. Explore the area. Read a book you would not typically read. I usually envelope myself in personal/professional books, but this is NOT the time to do that. Find something fun to read instead. Journal your experiences and note how your thoughts expand and flow.
👉 3) To Inspire a Positive Perspective: When you allow yourself to rest and let go of ALL thoughts about your work and what may or may not be waiting when you get back, you will feel a new sense of peace. This peace over your mind inspires an upgraded perspective. Journal what you feel grateful for each day and allow the gratitude to wash over you. Do not think about tomorrow but be fully present with today.
👉 4) Inspire Change: We can often become stuck – stuck in our thoughts, stuck in our actions, feeling stuck with our career, or just ready for something more. A change of environment wakes up our brain and expands our mindset. Allowing ourselves to break free from our routines and work often provides the inspiration that we need to finally make the change that we have been thinking about.
👉 5) Create Memories: This is the BEST reason to take a vacation. Create lasting memories that you can reflect on and bring a smile to your face over and over again. Enjoy special times with loved ones and friends and deepen those connections.
REFLECTION AND ACTION:
Before you leave your destination and arrive home to a quicker, sometimes maddening pace, ask yourself the following questions:
How can I carry a “vacation” mindset back into my work and hectic schedule? What are three important lessons I learned taking this time away? What new healthy habit can I start immediately? What boundaries do I need to set in order to stay consistent and fully develop my new habit? And last of all, what challenges might I encounter and how can I overcome them?
Ready to book your vacation? Time to get started!
If I can support you, I would love to hear from you: Contact Us | Inspired Success (inspired-success.com).
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Cynthia Legg, CPA, ACC, Founder of Inspired Success, is a Certified Executive Level Leadership and Well-being Coach, and a Positive Intelligence Coach and Facilitator. A retired partner in a regional CPA firm, she helps leaders, teams, and individuals achieve greater purpose and impact and take their team and organization higher. Whether through coaching, facilitation or strategic planning, she helps her clients to enjoy the journey of success as much as the destination of success. She loves empowering leaders and teams through a mental fitness program. She enjoys working with individuals and organizations pivoting to a new level of significance.
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