What I learned from taking time off
You might take time off to give yourself a break or just to get away for a few days. It allows us the space and time to be on our own, and may evoke feelings of anxiety, excitement, or maybe even guilt for not being “productive” or “present”.
As someone who recently took a break, I can relate to these emotions. Despite having time off, there was this gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach, reminding me that I had to make up for the days that I wasn’t working and things I hadn’t done.
Like most people who work from 8 to 5, taking time off requires approval. It was stressful to have to justify taking time off, even though I was entitled to it. I was anxious and had to think twice about whether I really needed or deserved that holiday. But deep down, I knew that I needed to step up for myself and my needs. I confided with people I felt safe to talk to and they reminded me that vacation time is my right as an employee.
Next came the planning of the trip: of course, making an itinerary comes with some stress like coordinating time and transportation, but as someone who enjoys researching sites to see and restaurants to try, this was a great form of stress relief. I’ll admit that I was scrolling through Instagram looking for the best cafes to visit when I had some down time during work hours. But consciously taking mini breaks is alright — breathe, your lungs will thank you!
I had a blast on my holiday. I was able to do things that I wanted, like try different flavors of fall drinks, wear outfits I wouldn’t normally wear, and spend time with family I hadn’t seen in a while. It was a much needed time to recharge and rest from the usual day-to-day activities back home.
However, there were moments when I caught myself planning how to get back into work when I got home, feeling guilty for taking time off when my coworkers were working and anxious about the workload that awaited me once I opened my laptop. All these thoughts are normal and valid, and these feelings need to be acknowledged and felt.
After my holiday, I took a day off to unpack, settle back in, and do self-care. Nothing work-related — I told myself, ‘That’s for tomorrow, when I need to actually do work’. Setting this boundary felt good. Take time to ground and collect yourself because you will need to readjust and process how you’re feeling. After all, your break might have changed your perspective on things, and it’s important to reflect on this.
At the end of the day, choose what is best for you. Remember that we aren’t robots, but humans doing our best every day. Taking time off, whether it’s a day or a week, is essential to our well-being and will help us to reframe our thoughts, realize what we need to improve on, and be present with loved ones or ourselves. So when you can take time off, make the most of it.
References:
Underwood, E. (2019). Yes, Post-Vacation Burnout Is a Thing. https://forge.medium.com/yes-post-vacation-burnout-is-a-thing-ef614bc7d49f