Be Happy and Healthy Take a Vacation
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Free PDF Download How To Be Happy at Work? Acknowledge Yourself - By Alvah Parker |
Did you take a vacation this year or skip it because of high gas prices? Americans have always been good at putting off vacations so this year they have a built in excuse. If you passed on a 2008 vacation so far and want to be happier and healthier, now is the time to take a vacation!
According to an Expedia.com poll a third of all Americans do not take all their vacation days. The Bureau of Labor Statics says that one quarter of all Americans get no paid vacation! That was a surprise to me although as a business owner in a solo practice I get no paid vacation either.
A recent New York Times article by Alina Tugend entitled “Vacations Are Good For You, Medically Speaking” makes the point that recent studies show that vacations are necessary for good health. The article sites two different health studies (one with females and the other males) that showed a high percentage of coronary problems occur for those who do not vacation regularly.
A vacation gives you time to unwind. It allows you to de-stress and relax. There is research evidence you sleep better during and after your vacation. I have always been amazed that the feeling of relaxed vacation calmness lasts for a few days when I return.
By the way for those who carry cell phones and Blackberries to check on work back at the office on their vacation, there have been studies to show that you are less likely to receive the benefits of vacation according to the NY Times article.
So if you didn’t take your vacation yet, now is the time to do it. If you are the type to check in with the office, find a place where cell phones and Blackberries don't work so you can truly relax. (It can be hard to unhook from the cell phone/Blackberry addiction! but worth it.)
If you have young children, vacations with them can be exhausting. That is not the kind of vacation that relaxes! Young families need to take two vacations, one with the family and one for the parents alone.
As a Grandmother I am always delighted to be asked to baby sit while my daughter and son-in law go on vacation. I once went to Disney World with the whole family so they could have time with each other and I could watch the children. If you have this option, you get a rest and please your parents too.
For my vacation this year, I participated in the Berkshire Choral Festival. I enjoy vacations where I do something I don't get enough of during the year. For me that is singing. I spent a week learning and rehearsing “Carmina Burana” and then with a group of other singers we performed it on July 19th for an audience. Both the rehearsal and the performance were an absolutely exhilarating experience. I’m planning to do it again next year.
Whether you like adventurous vacations, learning vacations, traveling vacations or just sitting by the pool vacations, it is important to change your environment once or twice a year and just have some fun. (What is all that work for?) Where you go or what you do isn't as important as just enjoying yourself and letting go for a bit. If you haven't scheduled your vacation yet, do it today.
Take Action
1. Vacations don't have to be exotic. How many of us have gone abroad but never visited the interesting places tourists from other countries visit near our own home. Make a list of the places close by that you have always wanted to visit and plan your vacation around them.
2. Are you an email junkie even on vacation? Start to think about ways to cut down on checking even when you are not on vacation. It wastes time anyway. Make a list of things you can do to eliminate a lot of email while you are on vacation and implement your ideas before vacation.
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Free PDF Download How To Be Happy at Work? Acknowledge Yourself - By Alvah Parker |
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About the Author: Alvah Parker RSS for Alvah's articles - Visit Alvah's website Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (The Attorneys’ Coach) and a Career Changers’ Coach as well as publisher of "Parker’s Points", an email tip list and "Road to Success", an ezine. Subscribe now to these free monthly publications at her website http://www.asparker.com/samples.html and receive a free values assessment. Work becomes more meaningful and enjoyable when you work from your values. Alvah Parker began her career as a high school chemistry teacher. She later transitioned to a sales career at AT&T. As a Sales Professional at AT&T for 15 years she was elected to the prestigious Counsel of Leaders for the top 3% of the sales force. After leaving AT&T she transitioned into a coaching career. Alvah is a senior coach for Boxwood Technology where she coaches association members on career issues and also a SCORE Business Counselor where she advises and counsels small business owners. Parker’s Value Program© enables her clients to find their own way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. Her clients are attorneys, entrepreneurs, managers and people in transition who want to find work that is in line with their own values. Alvah is found on the web at http://www.asparker.com. She may also be reached at 781-598-0388. Click here to visit Alvah's website. 10 Mistakes Lawyers Make When Growing Their Practices The Top Ten Client Feedback Questions 10 Ways To Leverage Your Time When Running A Business Establishing Trust How to Build Relationships and Make Them Work For You 10 Mistakes Job Searchers Make |
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