Schoolchildren get long regular vacations every year. Working adults, however, have to utilize their leave to go on a vacation. Whatever may be the type or destination of the vacation, you have to plan it well ahead and execute it successfully. We know that a well-spent vacation will tone up both your mind and body. Although this is the ground situation, some of us do not know how to spend a vacation profitably. We tend to make mistakes that would wipe out the potential benefits of a vacation.
Before you go on a vacation, plan it well. A clinical psychologist in the United States says some people have reported to him how a vacation ended up with a family quarrel. According to him, some vacations are basically a psychological escape from work. Instead of discussing with family members how best they could spend a holiday away from home, some people look forward to a fun-packed activity throughout the vacation. Some of the activities may be going on a hunting spree and feeding on the flesh of the killed animals roaming in the wild. At the end of such a vacation the participants will be in a worse situation than before.
Whatever the job you are involved in, you need a break because chronic emotional fatigue can lead to heart attacks. Tension of the workplace should not be piled up by not taking a vacation. Some workaholics think that a quick holiday would give them instant relief. They are unaware of the fact that tension builds up layer by layer and its release is accomplished the same way. Therefore, you should not limit your vacation to a few days. It should last at least three weeks to reap the full benefits.
Within reach
With improved travel facilities vacations are now within reach for most of us. According to the Bureau of Labour in the United States, only one corporation out of five had allowed vacations of four weeks or more for their employees. Today most reputed companies grant permission for their employees for long vacations. If you think you cannot afford to be away from your workplace for three weeks, think twice about the situation.
You cannot possibly spend a vacation at home. You need to have a change of scene and pace. The ideal way to enjoy your vacation is to go abroad. If this is not possible, city dwellers can move into the country and vice versa. Even in Sri Lanka those living in urban areas should move into remote villages to spend their vacation. You need to visit different places and meet different people. If you remain at home, you will see the same familiar faces.
Sometimes married couples are unable to decide on a holiday destination because there can be too many choices. However, a husband and wife should agree to spend a vacation in a particular place. Sometimes children also have their own places to visit. All such ideas have to be taken into account before deciding on a location.
Tour operators
A common error of tourists and travel agents is trying to see too many places in too short a time. Some tour operators do not allow you to spend at least one day in one place. For instance, if you visit India with a group of tourists, you need at least three weeks to see a limited number of places. Otherwise you will simply get exhausted and end up with depression that will last even after the vacation.
Even if you spend your vacation in one place for a long time, you might slip into an exhausting routine. When you are on a tour, do not spend time to meet friends and business associates. If you do so, you will attend too many cocktail parties. If possible, join a group of travellers who will allow you to loaf around when you want to. On the other hand, do not take part in sport activities and competitions when you are on a vacation. Instead try to meet the people and talk to them. Enjoy the scenic beauty of cascading waterfalls and virgin forests. Spend more time with nature and observe how it has beautified the world.
Equanimity
Modern life is full of strife. Even in the workplace there are cut-throat competitions. There is a scramble for promotions. When you take a vacation you are away from them at least for a short period of time. While spending time on a vacation you can cultivate the equanimity that brings relaxation and harmony. Spending a vacation meaningfully will teach you the value of leisure. You will also realize that people have an inner urge to live in peace and harmony. When you cultivate such sterling qualities it will shine as a mark of maturity.
When you spend a vacation you will get an opportunity to think about your family members and yourself. The peace of mind you get during a vacation is the measure of your personal power. Those who return from a long vacation will have fresh ideas for the workplace. They will realize that their boss is not so abrasive now. Even your facial muscles will begin to feel relaxed. I had a female colleague who used to take long vacations in foreign countries. When she returned she looked younger and more energetic. When she left the organization we really felt sad.
A vacation’s success or failure can be measured easily. After a good holiday you are likely to smoke or drink less and you will be able to sleep without counting sheep! What is more, you will get rid of nervousness that lowers your heart rate and reduces your blood pressure. Do not be surprised if you return slimmer after a long vacation. In addition your mind will be more receptive and alert. You will also be able to solve your formidable problems quite easily.
Apart from the thrills of exploring castles in Scotland, tasting French wine or catching a glimpse of a wave in Hawaii, there will be many other benefits of taking a vacation. For instance, the same old grind can be mentally exhausting. Therefore making a getaway to an exciting new land could be just what the doctor ordered to reduce your anxiety or depression. When you find yourself in a new environment, it will boost your mental health. Research shows that after taking a vacation you will feel less anxious, happier and well-rested.
If you plan to go on a vacation, it will sharpen your thinking. The happiness generated will last long even after the vacation. When you are happy you can do your job with added enthusiasm. Your exposure to new lands and their people will revitalize your mind. Another major advantage of a vacation is that it will improve your relationship with your spouse, children and others you love. A vacation is an ideal occasion to spend time with nature and its wonderful creations. In order to reap the full benefits of a vacation you should not think of your office work and domestic problems.
In the following poem Catherine Pulsifer sums up the joys of vacations:
Look forward
Vacations we all look forward
To time away
Where work stops and
We have time to play.
Vacations are to be a time
Where relaxation is found
A time for us all to rewind
And recharge our minds.
Vacations can be to
Faraway places
Or to places that are new
A time that is due.
Enjoy your vacation time
It passes by so fast
Let it be your downtime
It goes by quickly, oh too fast!