From the Editor
Guilt-Free Summer Vacations
"If you are traveling with small children or someone needing assistance, please adjust the oxygen mask on yourself first, then help them," states the flight attendant before every takeoff. The first time I heard that comment, I had to think about it a moment. Then it became clear to me that, of course, if I passed out from lack of oxygen before properly attaching the mask to a child, neither of us could breathe.
I was again reminded about the importance of taking care of myself first by a colleague who stated the importance she placed on vacations—and time off from work for herself—and encouraged the same for her staff. "If I suffer burnout, or force my staff into burnout, how will the company survive?" The analogy of a rest from work can be made to applying the oxygen mask for overworked and over-connected employees.
Workplace anxiety and stress in today’s fast-paced, competitive society are at all-time highs. Information overload and technology that allows 24/7 communication for instant response creates performance pressure that is unrelenting. While the adrenaline rush is positive for productiveness at times, its constant presence can push one over the edge. One burned-out executive resigned his 70-hour-a-week job last year to deliver newspapers, saying that at this time in his life just completing his job each day offered him more satisfaction than the previous paycheck did.
Today’s workforce schedules average far more than 40 hours, and hectic personal and family commitments leaves little "down time" to rejuvenate. It is true that American workers get less vacation time than 17 other developed nations. I’ve often wondered how productive small businesses are in Europe and Mexico with two-hour daily "siestas" after lunch, and a two to three week "holiday" for every employee once a year. Hard to imagine in the U.S.
Those whose intense lives are mentally engaging and stressful have difficulty just "kicking back and laying on the beach."
The "recreationally challenged" mentally stay "at the office" while on a vacation, being sure phone and fax numbers, and email addresses along with their laptops are readily available. Certainly, I have felt guilty while on vacation for being connected ... then for not being connected.
Recently, however, I traveled to the West Indies to a small island resort where only one phone, television and computer was available at the main office. The islanders were friendly—but moved at their pace.
Friends who had retreated there before prepared us for a life-style slowdown. Waking up to the sound of tree frogs, sheep, goats, and donkeys; coconuts falling from the trees; and watching the monkeys play a few feet from our cottage door certainly helped my mind wind down to a relaxed and more simple world. I surprised myself by adjusting rather quickly, and returned to work relaxed and energized one week later. How can I take time for vacation? How can I not? Guilt-free vacations are essential.
So, if you start to feel like you are overwhelmed by the daily grind, or that your "plane" is about to "crash"—please adjust the "oxygen mask" on yourself first ... take a deep breath or two, and enjoy your Summer vacation.
I was again reminded about the importance of taking care of myself first by a colleague who stated the importance she placed on vacations—and time off from work for herself—and encouraged the same for her staff. "If I suffer burnout, or force my staff into burnout, how will the company survive?" The analogy of a rest from work can be made to applying the oxygen mask for overworked and over-connected employees.
Workplace anxiety and stress in today’s fast-paced, competitive society are at all-time highs. Information overload and technology that allows 24/7 communication for instant response creates performance pressure that is unrelenting. While the adrenaline rush is positive for productiveness at times, its constant presence can push one over the edge. One burned-out executive resigned his 70-hour-a-week job last year to deliver newspapers, saying that at this time in his life just completing his job each day offered him more satisfaction than the previous paycheck did.
Today’s workforce schedules average far more than 40 hours, and hectic personal and family commitments leaves little "down time" to rejuvenate. It is true that American workers get less vacation time than 17 other developed nations. I’ve often wondered how productive small businesses are in Europe and Mexico with two-hour daily "siestas" after lunch, and a two to three week "holiday" for every employee once a year. Hard to imagine in the U.S.
Those whose intense lives are mentally engaging and stressful have difficulty just "kicking back and laying on the beach."
The "recreationally challenged" mentally stay "at the office" while on a vacation, being sure phone and fax numbers, and email addresses along with their laptops are readily available. Certainly, I have felt guilty while on vacation for being connected ... then for not being connected.
Recently, however, I traveled to the West Indies to a small island resort where only one phone, television and computer was available at the main office. The islanders were friendly—but moved at their pace.
Friends who had retreated there before prepared us for a life-style slowdown. Waking up to the sound of tree frogs, sheep, goats, and donkeys; coconuts falling from the trees; and watching the monkeys play a few feet from our cottage door certainly helped my mind wind down to a relaxed and more simple world. I surprised myself by adjusting rather quickly, and returned to work relaxed and energized one week later. How can I take time for vacation? How can I not? Guilt-free vacations are essential.
So, if you start to feel like you are overwhelmed by the daily grind, or that your "plane" is about to "crash"—please adjust the "oxygen mask" on yourself first ... take a deep breath or two, and enjoy your Summer vacation.