Today is my first of four days off work!
I like to take a day or two off work periodically to provide myself a break from work. Corporate life can be challenging and demanding. If you don't take time for yourself here and there, you will experience burn out. I know this to be a fact because I've been there. In fact, I'm well known for not taking vacation hours. It got so bad that my supervisor has lectured me about taking time off on more than one occasion.
I would acquiesce and take a day or two here and there but that didn't always leave me feeling refreshed. Usually, it just made me want to be off work even longer. Then, @millennialnow had to have surgery last spring to remove a cyst from his back and I ended up taking four days off work to help take care of him. Those four days were the most refreshing and restful days I'd had in a long time. That's even taking into account how much of a massive pain the drain for his wound ended up being. The whole experience made me see value in taking vacation time more often.
Going back to work after that week didn't feel like a drag or a burden because I wasn't so exhausted. My job shouldn't be stressful or so busy but it is. I really do need the breaks from work to slow down, relax, do things that are fun or needed, and focus on my life outside of work for a while.
We had brunch this morning before @millennialnow went to work. I came home and cleaned for a while. Now, I'm on Steemit. My only concrete plan for tomorrow is to have lunch with my parents. These few days aren't going to be terribly exciting and I'm not going to do a lot, but with all the house chores I've done today, I already feel accomplished. I might even read something.
The key for me is to remember that it's okay and ideal to remove oneself from the pressures of work occasionally. The "rat-race" doesn't stop for anyone. In fact, that makes it even more important to remove yourself for short periods of time. You can't be your best either at work or at home if you're not at your peak performance, and you can't be at your peak performance if you don't take care of yourself.
Life can't always be fun but we should always try to enjoy it when we can.
Happy Steeming everyone!
Time off can be very important. I once heard of a company that every so many years they forced each employee to take a month off straight (paid) just to unwind.
That is quite the incentive. It certainly is important though. I used to be able to go long periods of time without needing or wanting to take time off. Those days are gone now or at least for this season in my life. Thankfully, my company has a great vacation plan so I'm never without time.