The Case Of The Missing Vacation
This is the time for daydreaming about your annual vacation. Sounds enticing.
But when it comes to actually taking time off, a growing number of us become
downright ambivalent. ("Paranoid" may be more accurate.) Concerns about job
security creep in. If the boss can get along without me for two weeks will he decide
I'm not needed? What will happen to my projects when I am gone? Will my
colleagues undermine me? And there are large numbers of us who are addicted to
work. They'd rather work than be on vacation.
The result is that almost one-third of us don't take all the vacation days we have
earned, according to Expedia.com, the online travel agency. Some 14 percent do not
take any vacation time at all.
In addition, there's an army of men and women who are so hooked on their work
that they can' leave it behind. When they are supposed to be on vacation they are
not really on vacation. They stay connected to their work via the umbilical cord of
technology. Some 32 percent check their voice mail or e-mail every day away from
the job. It is the rare bird indeed who can be away from the office for two weeks
without checking in two or three times "just to see how things are going." Many
employers are enablers of this kind of behavior as they strive to get more work for
the same money.
Instead of feeling refreshed by time away from work, hordes of us dread coming
back. We know the e-mails have piled up, the to-do list has grown and there is the
general catching up. There may have been shifts in the power structure.
A Sobering Thought
This sort of commitment to the job may be necessary in some cases, but there's no
escaping that it is often counterproductive. Efficiency drops off and workers' health
is put at risk during long periods of unbroken work.
The Framington Heart Study shows that women who took two of more vacations a
year had a 50 percent lower chance of a heart attack than their counterparts who
didn't take time off. In the case of men, annual vacations reduce the odds by about
one-third.
Your Vacation Guide
The facts are clear. Time away from the job will improve your efficiency and help
accelerate your career. In the end, personal down time will benefit your employer as
well. Hopefully, you have the courage and wisdom to act on this axiom.
You can help assure that your vacation times serve their best purpose by
establishing seven conditions, advised Ramon Greenwood, senior career counselor
at www.commonsenseatwork.com>
1. Come to grips with the fact that you are not indispensable. Nobody is. If it only
takes a few days off the job to demonstrate that you are dispensable, then you
probably are. If so, better to find out now and deal with it.
2. Reject the macho idea that long hours with your nose to the grindstone
demonstrate strength and commitment. What you produce at the end of the day is
what counts. The dumbest ox needs time out of the yoke.
3. Plan your next vacation in advance. Hold to the date. If your employer forces you
to cancel your vacation make sure there is a good reason. Absent a reason, consider
whether you are working in an environment that will nurture your growth.
4. Establish a plan to cover your responsibilities. Do work in advance. Delegate.
Advise those with whom you work of your plans and what you expect to happen
while you are away.
5. Leave a contact point where you can be reached with a "gatekeeper" who will
respect your time. Don't check in with the office. They'll call you if you are needed.
Don't panic if they don't contact you. Take satisfaction that your vacation plan is
working.
6. Flush work out of your mind. Put the components of your life in perspective.
Recharge your batteries. Read things totally unrelated to your work. Get plenty of
rest.
7. Be prepared to double your efforts when you return from vacation to catch up and
go ahead with your work.
It's well to remember that there is no record of anyone wishing on their deathbed
that they had spent more time at work.
Ramon Greenwood is former senior vice president of American Express; a
professional director for various businesses; a consultant; a published author of
career related books and a syndicated column. Senior career counselor for
http://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com>
MORE RESOURCES:
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Work of Byron Katie - Freedom From Stress is Only 4 Questions Away
All stress comes from believing a thought that argues with reality. And when you oppose "what is" - it hurts.
Treat Your Anxiety Disorder Effectively
If you find symptoms of anxiety disorder in any of your near and dear ones then the best way is to visit your physician as soon as possible. Only your Physician can detect that whether these symptoms are due to anxiety or any other medical condition.
Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home
Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home1. Create a communication center on the fridge for messages, chores etc.
Understanding Your Stress Levels
In order to understand stress better, it is a good idea to understand that there are different stress levels. These levels vary in the form of stress they take and they can often provide an indication of how to treat the stress.
Sshhh... Listen to Your Own Voice
It was a self-exploration that made me understand myself. It was like discovering the one last elusive word in a jigsaw puzzle that completes other words.
The Case Of The Missing Vacation
This is the time for daydreaming about your annual vacation. Sounds enticing.
The ABCs of Stress Management
A while back, I was in a minor fender-bender accident, and as the police officer filled out the report, I gave him my business card with my name and phone number. When he saw "stress management" listed he said, "We've got to talk!" That's most people's reaction when they find out what I do.
Stress Relief Tips
With how busy we keep ourselves on a day to day basis, it's no wonder that so many of us suffer from stress. Stress is something that is almost impossible to avoid, because of the way that we are wired.
HELP! Im Working with a Baby!!
Did you know that more than half of our adult population has an anger problem? Have you experienced them? They act all flustered and pitch a fit. Can you believe it that some of them actually throw things when they get mad? And not only that, they cuss up a storm, rant and rave, and carry on like they are a child.
The Sixty Second Stress Solution
It is an inescapable fact, we live in a stressful world. We are all exposed to stress every day, at home and at work, and not one of us can honestly say that we don't feel the effects.
Stress Managment: How to Beat the Get By Syndrome
I'm sure you have heard of IBS, irritable bowel syndrome, a painful and difficult-to-treat digestive disease.Well, there is another disease that is also painful and difficult to treat.
The Cost of Stress - the Need to Monitor and Manage the Risks!
How much attention is paid to one of the biggest underlying risk factors within an organisation - the effects of stress? Not only are there a lot of potential risks arising from the spread of stress within an organisation, it costs them a great deal of money!!Let us start with looking at some hard-nosed numbers (based on the UK.).
How to Recognize Stress Before it Turns Into Anger
After a stressful day as a computer programmer, Jim pulled into his driveway. The children's toys were scattered on the walkway to the house.
10 Tips To Reduce Stress
1. Determine your "unique ability" and capitalize on itDelegate the tasks that detract from allowing you to shine--doing what you do best.
How to Cope With Stress and Anxiety
Among the hardest parts of living in the modern world is stress and anxiety. With worries about work, the environment, the economy, natural disasters, terrorism, and the general state of the world, it seems that there is no end to the number of things to worry about.
How To Recognize Stress And Its Effects Before It Takes You Over
Stress affects different people in different ways, but affect them it does. Whether you recognize it or not, if you are stressed, it is only a matter of time before something has to give - and that something is likely to be you!So what exactly is stress, and what does it do to you?Stress is a collective term for a whole series of effects, mental, physical and emotional, that occur as a result of excess.
Stress Relief
Traffic jams. Toddler tantrums.
Permission to Play
At what age does the benefit of play cease? Child development experts agree that play is very important in the learning and emotional development of all children. But do we ever grow out of a need for play? I answer with an emphatic no.
Squeeze To Relax!
This heading may seem like a contradiction in terms. How on earth is squeezing anything going to allow for relaxation to occur? Surely it will generate more tension, won't it?Well, not necessarily.
Ten Easy Relaxation Techniques
Stress is more than just unpleasant. It's dangerous.
|