I have yet to meet anyone who does not like vacation time. Some of us are better at taking it and using it well. And some of us, oddly enough, miss the point of vacation and take little time off from work. In this class of people the response often is, I like what I do and so I don’t need time off. And while this is admirable and potentially with merit it misses the key point - that vacation is less of a benefit and more of a necessity. For those in the THPL community we know that we push ourselves hard every day, we stress our personal systems and we always strive to do more. It is actually for this group that a vacation is very important. And by vacation I mean a solid week away from work. Yes, it is ok to stay connected, but it is not ok to go to the office. The idea is to break the work pattern, to do different activities, and to live to a different schedule. Think of it as time to refill your Life, Learning and Fitness tanks. Search for new knowledge, spend time with people you do not normally see, exercise more than you might otherwise, eat right, sleep more, and even relax a little bit (ok, this could be a stretch for some of us). And if it seems hard to take vacation time then plan it far in advance as that time is most likely free of obligation. Your happiness, success and achievement of THPL will be connected very much to using your vacation time. Enjoy it and take advantage of it. The work will be there when you return. And if you find that it works well enough you might even considering taking a second vacation each year. Crazy yes, but cool also!
Loving life while on vacation and looking forward to the next one
Ciao
Joe