Give Me A Break!

I’m going to preface this with asking a few questions. How many of you find it difficult to separate your work life from your home life? How many of you only take time off from work when you’re deathly ill? How many of you feel drained of energy? If you raised your hand or if the little voice in your head is yelling ME, then you probably need a break!

I am the type of person who can have my work email on my phone, but when I am home can completely separate it. My motto when I see an email on my off days is “I see you, I will get to it tomorrow.” I also know my boss is reading this, so yay for integrity, right? However, my roommate is what I would consider a work-a-holic. The second her phone buzzes, she’s checking that text, responding to that email, she oddly always has “so much work to do”. Even when she takes a vacation, she is working and it completely throws me. Sometimes we will be mid conversation, her phone buzzes, and boom, I lose her to the dreaded cellular mobile device.

Technology: 1 Kimberlee: 0
It is becoming more challenging for people to leave work at work with work emails literally at their fingertips. However, breaking these types of bad habits (yes there are more than just the one I mentioned above) will benefit you in many ways. Whether it’s by actually taking a full vacation, a day off, or just a few hours off work early, a happier you is just on the horizon.

• One of the biggest benefits of taking some time off is the ability to reflect and refocus on your goals. This will help you reset yourself mentally and give your brain the break it needs to come back fully rested and recharged.
• Taking time off can give you the opportunity to recharge your batteries and reenergize entirely. Working can be strenuous enough on its own, imagine adding in a family, soccer practice, cooking dinner, cleaning house, working out. People just get plain ole’ tired.
• It will allow you the chance to nurture your relationships. Cancelling dates with your friends and loved ones repeatedly will push them away, I can promise you that. People will only be understanding for so long. While work is important, spending quality time with the people you care about is truly priceless.

In the countries where substantial vacation time is offered by employers, their productivity rates are among some of the highest in the world. Paid vacation time isn’t guaranteed in America, but people who receive it still leave vacation days unused.

Two of the most productive countries are Germany and France, which have both mandated between 20 and 30 days of paid vacation a year! Keep in mind, vacations don’t magically improve productivity all on their own. However, spending less time at your desk coupled with a strong desire to work hard allows you to get more done in less time.

Taking time off truly helps remind us who we are outside of work. We all have interests, hobbies, loved ones, and goals that take a backseat to our work sometimes. This break allows you to reconnect with who you are as person. It gives you an opportunity to come back refreshed, so you can be more organized and on top of things while at work instead of dreaming of that vacation you wish you could take!

Kimberlee Kenyon
Member Services Coordinator
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com