Do You Get Enough Time Away From Work?
I just finished reading a short article in the online edition of the National Geographic Adventure Magazine titled The Vanishing Vacation: Why You Need a Break and it got me thinking of some of the people I see all around me on a daily basis.
I see people who almost never take time away from work. At the most, they may only take an extended weekend. I don’t get it. What is behind this obsession to work so much and not take some time away?
In the United States, unlike in most developed countries around the world, vacation time is not guaranteed in most jobs. If it is made available, it’s rather limited or there are pressures in workplace that make you believe that you can’t take the time away from work. This is not healthy.
Some interesting points were brought out in the article:
- An annual holiday can cut the risk of heart attack in men by 30 percent and in women by 50 percent.
- Only 14 percent of Americans will take a vacation of two weeks or more this year.
- Studies show that vacations are as important as watching your cholesterol or getting exercise.
- Vacations boost energy reserves so that you need less effort to get work done when you return
And best of all for me…
“Vacations help us see through the time-is-money hoax that keeps life on hold by placing all value and self-worth on production, on dollars-per-minute of output, and none on the input—living.”
I feel fortunate that I’m one of the 14%. I may not have the fancy home or the new car(s) in the driveway, but I do have what many others don’t is TIME. Time to spend with my family and friends. Time to play or go on adventures.
Isn’t that life is about - one big adventure.