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Vacation Time
Vacation time is your reward for a job well done. It is your company's way of saying thank-you and giving you a gift. It is their way of saying "you are a valued employee; we need you fresh and alert.... so go recharge your batteries". Depending on your company seniority structure, three to five weeks seems to be the norm. Spend them wisely. Use them all up. They are a gift and you should take full advantage of the opportunity. Let me put it to you this way; if you don't use them up, your company may just question your judgement and character, for not taking days off. They may even think you don't have the ability to relax and enjoy your vacation and therefore may view you as a stress "time bomb".
Vacation time away from work is not an easy decision. If you feel you are a loyal and committed employee, there are feelings of fear and uncertainty that they will need you while you are away and everything might fall apart in your absence. You may even fear that there is such competition for positions in your firm, that you may lose your job while you are away. Maybe someone has taken over your responsibilities while you are away and they will do such a good job that the company may turn around and say they don't need you anymore (what's his name has done a great job). This is fear, nothing more. A company will not fire you while you are on vacation. That is totally unethical and unprofessional for even the worst of companies. If they do choose to fire you while you're away on vacation, then the company isn't worth a wooden nickel and should be investigated by the Department Of Labour. You would be far better off working for someone else or for yourself, in that case. Remember you still have a job.
So, what to do on this "new-found" time-off ? It may be true that you haven't a clue what to do on vacation, and would rather work until something important or worthwhile comes along, that you would like to do away from work. That is a legitimate excuse, and the only one I would accept from anyone (if I were your boss). I have actually forced employees to take vacation almost against their will. They didn't like it but they did appreciate it after. If this is the case, then try taking a long weekend now and then (or a Friday afternoon off) to "buy some time", o give yourself a little taste of some time away from work. Even just a little bit of time off here and there will do you a world of good. It will sustain you until your "real" vacation comes.
While on vacation, promise yourself that you will do only those things that you want to do. Working while you are on vacation is not an option. That is a cardinal sin and one of those unwritten holy commandments. I hope someone is with you while you are vacationing, just to make sure you don't do any work what-so-ever. It is wrong and you should be criticized for it, even attempting it.
If someone has to tell you what to do on your vacation, then you are truly a hopeless case and should be institutionalized. You are not normal and need to get a life. I will be kind and gentle and give you some simple suggestions instead. Do fun things! Be selfish and indulge yourself. Go visit someone or something. Read a book, cover to cover. Spend some time with your hobbies. Spend some quality time with your family and friends. Sleep-in a couple of days in a row. Go to a movie or a live concert. Spend some quality time by yourself and pamper yourself. You are a good person and you deserve this. You've earned it.
Try not to do too much. It is very important that you try to pace yourself, slow down the routine and reduce the energy levels. The intent is to relax and to "unwind". That one word is somehow very appropriate and fits this situation exactly. You have to unwind to get your stamina back. It is the only way that you take full advantage of your vacation. I have heard too many people say that they need a vacation after their "vacation". They have tried to cram so much into such a short period of time, that they haven't had a chance to relax. Ultimately, they didn't rest at all and are still stressed.
If you are single, and find that it just wouldn't feel right to take a vacation by yourself (way too lonely), join a travel club or go to one of those all-inclusive resorts for singles. Take out a bank loan if you can't afford it. It will be worth every cent. You will have a blast and you will probably meet someone from the opposite sex, who you may become great friends with (or even God forbid, your future spouse). Don't laugh; it does happen, more than you think. If anything else, you will have some real fun. You will forget where you work, or worse; you won't want to come back to work.
If you are part of a family and are having trouble deciding what to do for a vacation, let everyone in the family pick one or two favourite things or places that they would like (generic things). Try to include one event or idea from each person and build the vacation around all the requests. Doing it this way, will help satisfy everybody's wishes and will stop sibling favouritism and minimize boredom or resentment. If it is too difficult to decide anything this way, pick something totally new that no-one in the family has ever done before. They can't dislike what they have never done or seen.
Vacation time can be as simple as just time away from work. You may just want to stay home and do absolutely nothing (and that's okay too). There is nothing wrong with being a hermit for a week. If you do like being a hermit, make sure you let people know that you want to be a hermit. They may not understand and could think you are just plain lazy or doing it at the expense of your family or friends. Communicate your need for freedom to choose what you want to do and that you need to have respect from others for that decision. It is your vacation and you need to spend it the way you think it should be spent. I always think of the definition of vacation as my rule of thumb; "a time of rest and freedom from work". Don't underestimate the significance of those words and make sure you listen to all your friends, co-workers and family members when they tell you. If they have to tell you, they are right. Take a vacation!
Pure and simple...
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- This storyworx page was last updated on January 26th, 1998 -