on my time! Is it me, or is everything moving at warp speed these days?"
~ C.R., Boston, MA
Funny, that. You’re not crazy, and you’re definitely not alone. I mean, here we are in the “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer,” and it seems most of us don’t know what season it is, much less what day of the week! Recent research indicates that vacations are considered "passé" for many U.S. workers, and it’s all about “staying productive." Surveys have shown that many professionals would rather skip vacations entirely than face the onslaught of work they would return to, were they to get away for more than a day or two.
That’s well and good until we hit the proverbial wall. Some companies are now insisting vacation be used each year and furthermore, that it be taken in week-long chunks – so a person can really reap the restorative benefits of the downtime.
So, before your company escorts you to your permanent vacation, and before your children are grown, your health is spent, and opportunities to create the memories have dwindled to a precious few, take charge of your own recharge. Carve out some time away from the 21st century: turn off the Blackberry, walk away from the email and pull the plug on the media – even if only for a little while. Your well-being just may depend on it. One thing’s for sure: a short respite from electronic stimulation overload will improve the quality of the relationships in your life – if only for the fact that, perhaps for the first time in a long time, the people around you will benefit from your full attention!
©2004 - 2007, Ariadne Moisiades, CPCC, ACC.