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Not only does this diffuse any guilt I might feel for taking a week to respond to someone, it also holds me accountable since I’ve found that most people actually don’t want you to respond to their emails when you’re taking a true vacation. Turn on my Out of Office notifications.So, here are the exact things I do to unplug when I go on vacation: In a culture where even our downtime can be dominated by notifications, incoming messages, and covert glances at email, “out-of-office” doesn’t necessarily mean feeling refreshed. Those of us who are semi-addicted to productivity have to be even more intentional on this one. This is, without a doubt, my number one factor in whether I end a vacation feeling fulfilled versus feeling just as stressed as when I left. Some of these, I created on that first “intentional vacation” I experienced–others I’ve added through the years to truly disconnect and get rejuvenated during my time off. There are a few very specific habits I’ve put in place that help me squeeze the most juice out of my time away.
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#How to use forest stay focused app go to the home screen how to
So, now that you’re convinced you need a break… Here’s how to take a break from work that’s truly restorative: On a larger scale, taking a few days or more of vacation time gives our creative selves a full-on reset, and so often when I’m in relaxation mode, I’m able to think more expansively than when I’m in the day-to-day details of a workday. The result? I return to my work with a fresh perspective. So lately, I’ve been setting a timer to force myself to get up and walk around the block, or even just walk into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, unload the dishwasher, or have a 5-minute conversation with Adam. Research shows that taking a walk sparks more creative, imaginative ideas than simply sitting and thinking. But I’ve noticed that when I try to “power through” without breaks, the quality of my writing majorly suffers–and it actually slows me down, since after an hour of staring at my computer screen, the fresh ideas come more slowly and I end up having to scrap much of the writing that I did when my brain was fried. This is a tough one for me, since I tend to get really focused on a task at hand and have to tear myself away from the computer screen when I’m ploughing through a writing project. It seems that many of us simply don’t know how to take a break from work. And even when they do, they often fail to leave work at the office. And for those of us who are allotted a set amount of vacation time each year, statistics show that Americans don’t use all of their vacation days. Even a short break can be restorative when we’re super intentional about how we spend it. Thought it’s not always easy, carving out mental breaks is crucial for our mental health and well-being. In today’s gig economy, the reality for many is that time off equals unpaid time. But there’s no question that the pandemic blurred the lines between work and home life, and especially for those of us who have stayed remote, it can feel like we’re always “on.” Although it sounds highly productive in theory, research shows that not taking regular, restorative breaks is not only a quick road to burnout–it also makes us less efficient and goal-oriented–not to mention, less happy. You know that feeling when you’re in the groove of work and life, getting ish done and juggling all the balls, when suddenly your brain screams that it needs a break? As someone who truly loves my job, it’s easy for me to be in go go go mode and not recognize the warning signs until they hit me like a ton of bricks. Though it’s a busy time at work for both of us, Adam and I were able to squeeze in just a few days away with the kids during their spring break, so we packed up for the West Coast and blocked out time on our calendars for doing a whole lot of nothing–which is what we’ve been craving. By the time you read this, I’ll be stretched out on a beach towel, deep into my latest memoir and fully relaxed by the crashing waves of the Pacific.