Reality bites. Here’s how to keep a vacation glow going.
Much has been written about the importance of taking vacations, their remarkable impact on well-being and work performance, and how, over time, getting away might even help you get a raise or a promotion.
These are compelling reasons to plan a trip, but sometimes that just isn’t feasible. Many of us don’t have the days accrued or the disposable income to be able to take time off, let alone travel.
What if, then, you could extract benefits from trips you’ve already taken?
Vacations aren’t simply an escape; they’re an opportunity to see what life could be like if only we had either abundant leisure or the wherewithal and flexibility to structure our days differently. In the same way that we bring home photos and souvenirs, we could return to real life armed with some transformational insights about the way we spend our days.
Vacations disrupt our normal routines, creating natural (and needed) opportunities for change. Meetings are a prime example. According to one report, US office workers lose an average of 31 hours each month to unproductive meetings. A boss or colleague can add your name to a recurring calendar invite in seconds — yet that often rote act can affect your schedule for months or even years.
The pandemic exacerbated “meeting creep,” with one Microsoft study finding a 153 percent increase worldwide in the number of weekly meetings. While that has subsided somewhat, unnecessary meetings continue to sap the brainpower, free time, and joy of many Americans who work in office settings.
Vacations can empower you to take a stand. What meetings did you miss while you were away? Perhaps you didn’t emotionally “miss” any of them, but which did you not attend? Consider asking a colleague how the meeting fared without your involvement. Did the meeting miss you? Was it less productive due to your absence? If not, ask to be removed from the invite. Your time away has proved that this distraction doesn’t belong on your calendar.
After you’ve purged your work schedule, consider other activities, commitments, or relationships you took a break from during time off. Should any of them be put on a more extended hiatus? If you have children, ask them similar questions. Was a week without soccer practice frustrating or refreshing?
Time away produces an almost mystical sense of joy. We feel relaxed yet excited. Food often tastes better. Sheets feel softer. We’re more present, grateful, and engaged.
It’s important to remember this when deliberating over whether or not we can really take the time off. According to one study, Americans hold the unfortunate distinction of receiving, on average, the second lowest number of paid vacation days in the world.
Despite this, research has found that nearly half of Americans leave at least some of their vacation days unused.
Some people — 49 percent — worry about falling behind at work. Some — 43 percent — feel guilty about having co-workers take on additional work. And some — 19 percent — think taking more time off might hurt their chances for career advancement or even cost them their job
(16 percent).
To correct this mindset, just think about the last great trip you took, no matter how far back in time you have to go to recall the experience. What was different about the days when you felt the most happiness and peace? Did you get more sunshine, sleep, or exercise than you typically do? Did you spend more time in nature, with friends, reading books, looking at art? Or, perhaps, were you just away from your phone? Research attests to the life-giving power of each of these examples.
It’s also possible that what made your vacation special were circumstances more aligned with your individuality. Perhaps time away revealed that you prefer sleeping on the left side of the bed or that you enjoy having only a few clothing options to consider when you get dressed in the morning. Allowing these insights to inform your daily routine and reshape your priorities is one way to bring some vacation wisdom home with you.
Another way is to consider which household chores and daily tasks you could deprioritize in order to free up your time for things you’d rather do.
Will the world spin off its axis if you don’t empty the dishwasher but choose instead to walk in winter’s all-too-brief daylight? That’s what you’d do on vacation, right?
Kyle Austin Young is the founder of Growth Solutions LLC, where he consults with executives and entrepreneurs on business strategy and leadership development. He has also written for Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, Fast Company, CNBC, Forbes, and Business Insider.