Take time off in a balanced way
Taking time off is nice, but improper planning can prevent you from fully benefiting from the break.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve learned over the years and how I think you can make it even better for you and your family.
Do it more often
Back when I started working, I took time off just once per year. I was working at a school so, naturally, the usual time for vacations was when the students themselves were having their time off. That’s August.
For some businesses there’s just no way around it. But most people are able to pick at least some days off through the year.
Once I got a job that wasn’t intrinsically linked to a specific season I was able to think about how I wanted to take time off for the first time in my life. Most people in Portugal will have at least 22 days off in a year—that’s by law.
By listening to my own body I was able to learn that I feel the best when I take a week off every 3 months. Sounds a lot? Do the math: 5 days every 3 months will add up to 20 days in 1 year. Fits the bill perfectly!
I personally don’t like to spend more than 5 days in a single place. And I’ve also tried a bundled vacation where I took 2 weeks off in a row but travelled to a new place by the end of the first week. Didn’t like that either. Ends up being too exhausting which beats the purpose of taking time off in the first place.
Which takes me to the next point…
Plan ahead
Time off could have plenty of different meanings for you and me. Some people like to explore, some like to rest, others like to eat and some will say it’s the perfect time to push that personal project forward.
That’s all good. But it’s important to have a clear vision of what it means to you, just so you know what you’re getting into and don’t feel like you wasted time off doing things you didn’t want to.
I, for instance, enjoy a good balance between exploring and resting.
For me, it usually means going to a new location I’ve never been to, most commonly in my home country, Portugal. I do believe Portugal has plenty of different locations to be explored, even though it’s a very small country.
I feel it’s far easier to load the car and drive away than to plan a trip to the airport, go through security, wait for the flight, find something to do during a multi-hour flight and arrange transport between destination airport and Airbnb or whatever place we’re staying in…
I find it dreadful just to think about it.
In the prefect vacation, the first few days are usually reserved for exploring. I pick a few places I would like to visit in advance and save them in a map. Then I combine a few and make an itinerary for the day. No pressure, no time checking every now and then. If I make it to all the places, great. If I don’t, no worries.
For the last few days I’m usually resting at the place I’m staying or walk around it to explore the place. Truthfully, I’m usually staying in places full of greenery and animals so there’s always plenty to enjoy at walking distance. And it gives me peace to get in touch with nature so it’s always something I’m looking forward to.
Low season is better
If you usually take vacations during high season, you know just how busy places can get. No one likes to visit the ancient monuments in Greece when they’re full of tourists.
A good way to go around this is to take time off in not so touristy times, such as Autumn or Winter. Plus, prices will be more affordable too, because there’s less interest. Also, less time waiting in line and more time doing what you intended to do in the first place doesn’t sound bad either, does it?
If you take vacations with your partner, one of you might like warmer weather more than the other—ask me how I know. So taking time off multiple times per year is a good way to balance things out in your relationship too.
Lastly, if you’re into birdwatching, like me, having multiple opportunities throughout the year to not only discover different species but also gain access to new species from various locations is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.
Explore local options
When you have 4 opportunities for time off during a year, you may not want to go abroad every time. I mean, it’s obviously going to be expensive, although that might not be a question to everyone.
But there’s no denying the hassle of going through airport security and working out transport in the destination country isn’t exactly pleasant.
Since I do like to explore my home country and I also like to drive, having the chance to drive to new locations nearby is always great. That is, of course, unless you have a 2 year old in the car crying because… reasons. But again, flying isn’t necessarily easier.
Be really out
What I mean is that, for some reason, it became normal or even expectable to be present all the time. Even when you’re out. When the company you work for expects you to reply to “an important email” or “an urgent phone call”, you’re going to be thinking about work all the time.
That’s not time off. That’s your usual day at work!
So, really disconnect from work. Turn off notifications from work platforms. Let your family and friends know you’re going to be off, even. Anything that helps you stay aware of your surroundings and appreciate the people you’re with, more than looking at a screen, will do wonders for your mental health.
Work can wait.
At Doist, it was usually said that when you came back from time off, your work would be there waiting for you. So there’s no need to take a peak at Slack from time to time, or check on the project you’ve been working on and make sure it’s all good.
If hell breaks loose, your team will handle it. For better or worse, we’re all replaceable, so don’t beat yourself up for not being online during the time you’re not supposed to be.
Bottom line
Not every opportunity to take time off will bring the perfect vacations. And “perfect vacations” will mean different things to everyone. But I find that following these guidelines has transformed the way I take time off, for the better!
- Take 1 week off every 3 months;
- Explore places closer to you;
- Consider driving instead of flying;
- Opt for low season;
- Know what you want to do;
- Reserve time for resting;
- Disconnect from work;
