Sandy beaches, elegant swaying palm trees, a cool light breeze and the sun playing peek-a-boo with wispy clouds is one of my imagination’s ideas of a perfect stress free get away.  As I continue to daydream, other natural environments come to my mind including; hiking under foliage covered trails in the mountains, dancing amongst trees so tall I can barely glimpse the top branches as they touch the sky, and camping under stars so bright and visible, I share in their joy of not competing with light pollution. These are the places I enjoy escaping to for even a few hours to reset, decompress and reconnect with who I am.  Just envisioning being out in nature, no electronics and time to just experience life, brings a peace to my soul.

It seems society today underestimates the value of vacations and time away from work.  I have many friends that forgo taking time off from their employment worried about what their boss will think, what it will mean for their position, how much catch up they will face when they return, or how much it will cost, either in lost wages or in travel.   What I believe our society has missed is the cost of not taking a vacation.  The cost of productivity and health this non vacation attitude has taken.  Our culture seems to have forgotten how time away from the daily grind is healing and necessary for our physical and emotional well being.

I have been fortunate as my husband has always pushed for us to take more time off, to travel more or just play at the beach, the park, the nearest green space.  This has not always been easy for me as I identified with all the excuses listed previously.  And yes, I have been accused of being a workaholic but now I claim to be a recovering one as I have experienced the consequences of not taking needed time off due to varying circumstances.  Here are just a few things I have learned from putting work and the day to day routines aside. 

• Vacation allows us to step outside our usual patterns, tasks and activities.  By doing this we are able to start new healthier patterns.  These may be sleep, eating or exercise habits as it is easier to reset after disrupting a pattern than while entrenched in one.  I have found it easier to begin new exercise and eating habits while on vacation and then stay the course once the pace of life quickly begins again.
• Vacation allows our minds to rest and reflect on our lives.  This can lead to revelations about our relationships with others, our work, or even ourselves and for me is the perfect time to reconnect with family, friends as well as myself.  Reflection also affords opportunities to learn and grow, something that can become stagnant without the luxury of down time. While not committed to the daily grind of a schedule I can daydream and read those books and articles that had been set aside, helping to reassess the status quo.
• Vacation allows our bodies to rest. With different activities, different muscles are engaged which can permit physical healing of our over extended and used muscles.   Indeed, just the extra sleep we often experience while on vacation allows our bodies to naturally repair and renew.
• Vacation allows us to reduce our stress load.  Be it disconnecting from electronics that constantly clamor for our attention to just not being ‘on’ all  day for work it is well documented that removing ourselves from our workplace reduces stress and anxiety levels, something I can attest to from personal experience.  Even better, science shows there is a lasting effect after returning to work for a period of up to five weeks.
• Lastly, vacations increase productivity.  Something I didn’t anticipate but found to be true for myself and the research bears it out.  It seems counterintuitive but with rest and relaxation you come back to work more focused and energized. Able to deal with challenges more effectively with less down time. 

Ultimately we are here to enjoy and experience this life we have been given but it is difficult to do that when we are subjected to always performing the same unwanted activities.  Yes, work is necessary for most of us to survive, but it is not necessary or healthy when it dominates our lives as society seems to tell us it must.  And so dear friends, I encourage you to take advantage of those opportunities for a holiday, a change in your routine and environment.  Ultimately your body and your soul will thank you for it.  

Wishing you much love, health and play time on your heartfelt journey! ~♥~

PS-I am taking an extended vacation for the next month but will be back in November.  

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-americas-no-vacation-culture-is-harming-our-health#11

https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/health-benefits-of-taking-a-vacation.html/

https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/4-scientific-reasons-why-vacation-is-awesome-for-you.html