When is the last time you took a vacation? If you had to think about it for more than a second, it’s probably been too long. Here are six signs you need a vacation badly. #6 is a total waste…
1. You feel like work follows you everywhere.
Work doesn’t stay at the office. It follows you home. Stressful events from your workday replay in your mind hours after they happened. You feel like there’s no escape.
You’re forced to answer work-related texts, emails, and phone calls at all times. Your boss has no sense of boundaries. They have no problem interrupting your plans. You never get a break.
Sound familiar? If so, you need a vacation… stat! Your job shouldn’t dominate your entire life. Request time off — if they refuse, threaten to quit (because work/life balance is super important) — and book a much-needed getaway.
2. You haven’t created a new photo album in several years.
You feel nostalgic one night, so you dig out an old photo album. You’re flipping through vacation photos when it dawns on you: “Holy crap… all of these pictures are at least five years old!”
That’s totally unacceptable. A shortage of new photos suggests you aren’t creating memories worth capturing. And if you aren’t doing anything memorable with your life, you’ll regret it later.
On your deathbed, you won’t regret the money you didn’t make or the things you didn’t buy. Instead, you’ll regret the places you didn’t see and the experiences you didn’t get to… well… experience! Take a vacation and make a new photo album so you can reminisce in the future.
3. You fantasize about moving away and starting a new life.
If a mysterious stranger marched up to you and said: “I’m willing to give you a new identity and free flight to anywhere you desire so you can start over,” would you accept the offer?
It is tempting. Fresh starts are nice. That said, you shouldn’t be so discontent with your current life that you constantly dream about how nice it’d be to disappear and begin a totally new one.
People only feel this way when their life is lacking in excitement. A short vacation will fix that. Heck, you might even find yourself missing home (and the “boring” aspects of your life) by the end of your trip.
4. You can’t remember the last time you set foot on a beach.
Who doesn’t love the beach? Nobody I know. I believe every toe should be stuck in the sand at least once or twice a year. Anything less than that isn’t enough! No more explanation needed. 😉
5. You haven’t left your home-state within the last year or two.
If you stay in the same environment for a long time, it’ll start to feel stale. I’m already bored from thinking about it. You’ll also get stuck with a limited perspective.
The Earth is a massive place. There are hundreds of thousands of cities and towns worldwide. They all have different cultures and customs. There’s so much to experience!
If you spend most of your life in one city or town, you’ll never understand the world you live in. You’ll only understand a tiny fraction of it. The more you explore, the more you’ll grow.
6. You have accrued more paid-time off than you could ever use.
What’s the point of having vacation time when you never utilize it? I know some people are afraid to take time off, but you can’t get fired for accepting a benefit provided by your employer.
(Note: I am not a career adviser and this might not be true in “right to work” states. Still, I argue a boss who doesn’t let you take a vacation isn’t a boss worth having, so does it really matter?)
Got paid time off? Use it! Don’t worry about your staff or co-workers. They’ll live without you. And you’ll be a positive example to them. Maybe others will be motivated to plan a road trip. Let’s prevent burnout and promote a healthy work/life balance, one employee at a time!
How many of these signs you need a vacation resonate with you? If there are three or more, you’d better schedule some time off soon! Could any of your friends use a break? Go ahead and share this blog on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe you’ll encourage them to take a vacation.
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