The Value of Taking a Break
Americans have somehow gotten into a pattern of constantly being ‘on’. By that I mean we check emails and texts and social media incessantly. The challenge with that is that we often keep working long after our actual work hours should be over, and our brains never get a break. “Just a few emails won’t hurt”, we tell ourselves. But does it? I mention Americans specifically because many other countries and cultures have not seemed to fall into the clutches of the smartphone and the easy access it offers us to on-demand information when it comes to working.
Why we have to turn off
I have had so many Relocation Directors tell me they continue to be ‘on call’ even when on scheduled Paid Time Off (PTO). It is understandable especially when some entities are one-person shops and really don’t have anyone else on staff that can cover. But that is not good for our mental health. Studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and mental health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals.
I was always lucky enough to have staff cover for me when I was gone whether it was at a conference or on PTO. What I would do when I was on vacation is designate one person in charge and then I would check in with that person every few days or they would reach out if they felt they needed my input on anything. Frankly, they would have been fine without me checking in, but I was too insecure about checking out altogether and that was a mistake. One thing we need to do is get over the fact that we think we are indispensable.
Check out this article about why we need to give ourselves a break. The Data-Driven Case for Vacation (hbr.org)
They will live without us for a few days
Even for a one-person department, someone else in the company can be trained to monitor referrals and emails for a couple of weeks. No one ever died of real estate or relocation. A detailed out-of-office message with who to reach for help is all it really takes. Even a skilled relocation agent can step in and take on some responsibility if needed to keep things moving along. There are also people out there for hire on an hourly basis to come in and temporarily cover a relocation desk.
There is just no excuse not to figure out a way to unplug a couple of times a year. A study released last year by the American Psychological Association concluded that vacations work to reduce stress by removing people from the activities and environments that they associate with stress and anxiety. The study said that taking a vacation can increase mental motivation, improve family relationships, boost happiness and decrease burnout.
Take the PTO that belongs to you
Many states and/or companies will not allow PTO to roll over to a new year and accrue. So frankly, the end of the year is the perfect time to detach and rejuvenate. It’s typically not that busy and if you have already done your year-end planning for the new year, it can be a lot of downtime. The pressure to use the time off should achieve what it is meant to do, take time off.
This new model for senior leadership of just taking time when you want to is unfortunate. It is a problem because companies know their workaholic leaders won’t take any time off if they don’t see it accruing. I suspect there is very little abuse of excessive time off with those types of policies.
But more than just vacation, it is important to factor in mental and physical self-care that should be ongoing. We often focus on our physical being and the thing that really suffers is our mental health. Our roles personally and professionally can often feel solitary. Having an industry friend, coach, or mentor we can talk to is so critical. There is nothing like someone who really understands what we are going through to help us feel heard. Make sure you don’t keep frustrations, anger, or anxiety about your job bottled up. Talk to someone who can relate.
Here are some tips to help you make some time for yourself to focus on your well-being:
1. Sleep. Try and set a bedtime and stick to it. The value of sleep is immeasurable. Stress, Menopause, and life, in general, can really mess with our sleep patterns.
2. Make time for little adventures. Since so many of us work from home, we can go days without venturing out. Even if it is taking time to go for a walk or visit a museum, exploring the world around you can brighten your day. Routines are ok, but being in a rut is not.
3. Make time for yourself. It can’t always be about our clients and our family. Get a massage or a facial. Or take a class to learn a new skill and meet some new people.
4. Give your brain a rest. Do something effortless every day like watch TV, read a book, or get lost in TikTok for an hour. Just try and avoid it right before bedtime as it might have the opposite effect.
5. Take an actual vacation. It doesn’t have to be an expensive European adventure, but that would be nice. If you can’t check out for a couple of weeks a year, at least take some long weekends to drive to a local getaway. Sometimes a change of scenery is all that we need to rejuvenate.
I hope you get to rejuvenate during the holidays and are ready to tackle the new year with joy and excitement. Happy Holidays… now put your phone down!
“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.” ~Maya Angelou, American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist.
