For how many people do work thoughts pop into mind when on vacation? By fully taking the time off, we are more inclined to properly rejuvenate and make a revitalized and excited return to work.
A healthy work life balance has become an obvious priority for many companies. When it comes time for a vacation it may not be enough to simply take time off and check out from work. By setting intentions and carrying out purpose with our time off, we’ll be less inclined to think about work during the break.
Instead of solely prioritizing the cessation of work tasks, it is also beneficial to have intentionality and uplifting activities (and even goals!) to look forward to for the time off.
Having personal goals, and taking maintenance & wellbeing seriously, have great impact on both the short & long-term.
Let’s look into some areas of interest to make this a reality:
Hobbies
Many have shelved hobbies collecting dust. When space is given for focus on those hobbies, a wholesome revitalization often accompanies with it. Besides the profound personal benefits, people who have enjoyable hobbies will also be better workplace employees. Everybody wins. Additionally, companies who genuinely encourage employee wellbeing will reduce turnover and find their employees investing back into the company.
Relationships
Another great area to focus on are social, familial, and communal circles. These relationships help us self-actualize and have effect in and outside of work. When in a work rhythm, it can be hard to allocate extra time and energy, even to those important to us. Nurturing healthy relationships can have profoundly positive effects in multiple (and unforeseen) arenas of life. When time away from work is granted, consider investing some of it in this direction.
Something Completely New
In order to jump into something new, preparation and extra time are sometimes required to make it worthwhile. Continuing a personal project may be a big investment, but may require less adjustment time as it is flexing familiar muscles. To engage in a new experience may not be as straightforward and may require time to adjust.
For example, going camping for a night is a wonderful thing (for some), but the connective feeling of nature is just settling in as it is time to leave the campsite. On the other hand, two or three nights (or more) may yield radically upgraded benefits in comparison. Some of the most impactful experiences require the proper amount of time; plan for them when there is time off work.
If leaving work is the goal, what will be the demeanor of the employee at the conclusion of the time off? Many will return unmotivated. That approach is too short sighted and creates unfulfilled employees.
Let’s consider a computer that is restarting. On the surface, it seems as though it is simply powering down, rebooting, and returning ready to work again. When the computer is restarting, however, there are intentional processes happening behind the scenes that allow it to return refreshed.
While it is important for employees to take time off responsibly, it is additionally important for the company to encourage effective vacationing. Inviting this practice into the workplace culture is not only a benefit for the employees themselves, but also for the teams they work with, and the company as a whole.
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