We spend our careers doing things to enhance or develop our career path, such as furthering our education, attending before/after hours networking functions, participating in workplace functions, or even just working late to get caught up on all the things you’ve missed by doing the other things mentioned. Phew. But what about the obvious thing you can do to help improve our career? What’s that you ask? Well, what about taking time off for a vacation? Remember what that is? It should also be more than an extra long weekend – that is not really a vacation. Taking time off, away from work, for at least 5 days or more, that is a vacation!
On average, North American’s take anywhere from 3 – 6 days less than their earned vacation time! So, for example, if someone in Canada has 15 days earned vacation days, they will typically only take 9 – 12 of those days in a year!
I know, you’re saying – how could I? How could I leave for more than just 3 days? I know how busy everyone is at work. We are buried under mountains of paper work, have lists of things to accomplish on our ‘to-do’ list, have email after email after email, not to mention voice mails, to respond to… how could I afford the time to take a vacation? The real question should be how could you afford not to?
Let’s look at the benefits taking time away from the office, in the form of a vacation of course (yes that means no blackberry’s, no checking voicemail or email of any kind, and delegating your work to someone else for that one small week that you are away…I’m sure they can manage) can have on your career;
Improved Creativity:
A little time away from your day to day routine can always clear those cobwebs from your thought process and allow you to daydream and think about things you wouldn’t think about when you are forced with deadlines and projects. This could be great time to think of that ‘next big thing’ for your company or team and could help you further your career.
Improved productivity:
Time away to do things you like to do, gets you away from your normal routine. This can help you to be happier and more productive when you do return. It allows you to step back from that normal ‘grind’ and when you return, you’ll be more likely to review what you do day to day, and what tasks you can tweak to change up your routine and become more productive.
Improved Outlook:
We’ve all been there – in crisis mode, under stress, feeling ‘ok’ but not great and sometimes even feeling like everyone else has it all under control. Time away can improve how you feel about your position and your day to day tasks. Time off gives you the time you don’t normally have to spend with your family and your loved ones and really enjoy those small moments in life.
Improved Health:
What does this have to do with your career? Everything! If you feel stressed, overworked, overwhelmed, this can lead to other serious set backs for your employer – it can lead to illnesses, leading to loss of work time or unproductive work time, depression, or even stress leave – none of these things will help you further your career! Vacation time can give you what you need, time to unwind, time to relax, time to catch up on those missed zzzz’s, time to refresh, time to focus on what’s really important – YOU and your health.
The number one reason to take a vacation? It just makes you feel good, and makes you a great employee when you come back still in that feel good mood! So take that time off, and go book that vacation! You deserve it, you’ve earned it, and it will only benefit your career in the end by making you a better employee! I’m off to enjoy my vacation!
Tags: career development, relaxtion, vacations