So, I'm trying to find out all that I can about the travel industry before I start this new job and came across the most alarming article. Apparently, despite earning the least amount of annual vacation days, Americans will leave an average of 3 days unused--totaling more than 439 million in 2007. Let me repeat that for you... Americans not only get gypped out of vacation days compared to the rest of the world, but we're putting in more hours and not even using all of our earned time off! What is THAT about?? I know that for myself, I feel like I should save those precious days for the "what ifs"... what if the baby is sick and I can't bring him to daycare? what if it snows and daycare is closed.. how am I supposed to get away when they is always so much to do, what, why, how?
Just to compound the issue, the statistics also show that those who take vacations feel rested and rejuvenated when they get back... so how do you prevent burnout and feeling overwhelmed if you aren't taking the time to relax and recoup?
I work not only because I enjoy the sense of accomplishment and achievement but also because I want to provide a certain lifestyle for my family. If we aren't taking the vacation time that we're earned, we aren't allowing ourselves to really appreciate that life that we've created. Sure, we've got weekends but that time seems to get eaten up by the minutia of life... trips to the grocery, the bank, soccer or baseball or ballet.
How do we balance the world that we're trying to create for our children while keeping up with our expectations, standards and requirements of our jobs? In order to be that patient, fun, silly mom that I want to be for my son, I need to take care of my own mental wellbeing and if that means that I need to take a few long weekends here and there to work in my decompression time, then that's what I'll have to do.
I owe it to my son, and to my employer.
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