Relatively new mantra from me: Think about your vacation time strategically, purposefully. Far too often many of us let our vacation days get sucked up into the traditional family events, maybe a big trip, and an end-of-scramble to “use up” our allocated time so we don’t lose it.
A leader I admire plans a week of vacation every 3 months. This frequency keeps him fresh. He unplugs his connection to work entirely. “I can feel the need again when I get to the end of the 11 week stretch of work.”
Family obligations (relationship opportunities!), the school calendar, and critical seasons of work likely mean you can’t evenly distribute your vacation time. Still, plan proactively rather than passively or not at all.
2020 is almost here. Consider your upcoming year with these questions:
- Who needs your attention?
- What are key times when you’re going to burn through more energy and likely to need a recovery period?
- What can you schedule with intention to experience re-creation, not just “days off”?
- How could vacations fit into your professional development opportunities?
- What rhythms of work must you respect more in 2020 than you have in past years?
- What value could a solid 2+ weeks away provide you? When could a few 3 or 4-day weekends help you stay fresh and energized?
- What travel and experience opportunities would give more breadth or depth?
The likelihood of a memorable 2020 is higher when you plan your vacation time strategically.
