Take A Vacation

Are you reluctant to take a vacation from work? Is it because you feel your business cannot get along without you? Or, is the extra effort required before and after the vacation does not counterbalance the enjoyment of the vacation?

Current studies are overwhelmingly demonstrating that you and your business benefit from your vacation.

Although there are as many reasons to take a vacation as there are vacationers, I see two main reasons to take a vacation.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, your work demands you take a vacation. It is estimated the between 50-80% of business executives have canceled vacations because of work. That is unfortunate and short-sighted

Your staff needs to be able to manage in your absence, at least for a short time. If you have not developed a staff that can operate while you’re on vacation, either you’re not managing your staff, or you have a poor staff, both of which reflects poorly on you. Your ability to take a vacation is a direct indicator of your aptitude as a manager.

When you do return from a vacation, what is your attitude? It should be great, energetic, and ready to go. If not, you need to take a better vacation. The purpose of a vacation is to is to rejuvenate your creativity and strengthen your ability to think about your job and the company’s future more clearly. When you take a vacation, your staff needs to expect you to return operating at a high level and ready to take on new challenges and present new ideas. That is why most companies offer paid vacations for their employees; the company gets a direct benefit in return.

Vacations are happiness inducing. Executives returning from vacations are happier, better to be around, and, this is the best part, these attitudes rub off on everyone else. Furthermore, a great vacation helps you be happier with your life, with what is going on around you, and with your relationships with those you are close to.

Part of being happy is the impact on your heart health. Studies have shown that downtime from vacations improve heart health, reduce stress, decrease depression, and increase productivity.

Your brain needs a vacation just like your body. A rested brain is more creative, makes better decisions, and increases concentration.

1. Don’t have unrealistic expectations. You may need to do a little work while on vacation just to eliminate the worry the naturally arises when gone from the office.
2. Planning a vacation doesn’t mean filling every hour with activities. Doing nothing is okay. And, don’t over plan, let the vacation take care of itself.
3. Do something new. Few things will take your mind off the office than experiencing something new. Take time to savor your experiences.

Even Jesus took time off from His ministry. Mark 6:31 says.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Jesus’s ministry sounds like many of our jobs where we don’t have time to think. And when we don’t have time to think, we cannot manage our businesses. Always take a great vacation and urge those you supervise to do likewise.