How to take a vacation (and actually take a vacation)
Photos / Tim Greenway
Nancy Marshall, left, and Ann Leamon are regular contributors to Mainebiz.
Americans take the least time off per year of any people on the planet, according to Expedia’s Vacation Deprivation Report. We average 11 days off a year, less even than the famously workaholic Japanese (12 days), and we’re awarded the lowest amount of vacation time to actually take, 12 days.
Worse yet, we accept this state of affairs — and in 2024,Expedia found that 53% of us didn’t plan to use all of our meagre vacation allotment! “Life is too busy to plan or go on vacation,” is the reason given.
But not taking vacation time comes with a cost. You might think you’re indispensable (or that your boss will discover that you aren’t) if you leave for a week, but you’ll return refreshed, rejuvenated and with a new outlook. You’ll have a different perspective on an intractable problem or have fended off burnout.
Vacation helps both your health and your performance. In short, you’re less likely to die — a study by the World Health Organization found that working 55 hours a week (or more) increased the risk of stroke by 55% and heart disease by 17%. And your work improves. Ann left her computer at home when she went on her recent trip to France — for the first time in 30 years. (She should be dead by now.)
Consulting groups found that consultants who took more vacation were more productive than those who didn’t and that each additional 10 hours of vacation time increased year-end performance by 8%. When Nancy’s son Craig was in New Zealand for his Colby junior year abroad, she traveled there to spend 10 glorious days with him, which was something she will never regret, and he will never forget.
Here are some guidelines for those who are still working full-time about how to truly recharge.
Unplugging is easier said than done
Those people who urge you to completely unplug during vacation don’t understand the life of a business owner. Many entrepreneurs are typically OCD about their enterprise, and that’s hard to change, according to Nancy, who started her business representing resorts like Sugarloaf that were open 24/7. Set up not just your away message to establish expectations but also establish your support crew.
Establish support people, one for each project or deliverable. And don’t worry about “dumping something” on your team. Often, your staff will be pleased to have their expertise recognized. Your away message should specify when you’ll be back and when people can expect to hear from you. Add the fallback: “If this is urgent, please contact [someone who is not you].” You have set up a triage system. Only an emergency will come to you. Provide examples of full-blown emergencies to your support personnel.
Check your email once a day. We find mornings are best, because you can refer matters as necessary. If something requires you, limit the time you’ll devote to it. Barring a crisis, you shouldn’t be working on anything.
Be honest that you’re on vacation. Most people recognize that they should be taking more vacation.
Do something new. Even on a staycation, go to museums, galleries, hikes or explore towns you’ve never visited. Enjoy your home state (after all, we live in Maine, which is Vacationland, people!)
Plan. It’s the last thing you want to do, to look up train schedules, hotels, and museums while you’re working. Unless you’re on a packaged tour, though, you’ll be so pleased that you’re not in the unreserved line or paying extra for a last-minute room. Hire a travel agent (they still exist) or invest some time on your vacation so you’ll have a structure.
Leave gaps in your plan. Give yourself time to be spontaneous, whether it’s an unexpected concert or a play or a dinner or a cup of coffee at a streetside café.
Optional: If you’re staying home, don’t be a slave to your to-do list, but do one or two small things that have been bugging you. Ann recently spent a Sunday afternoon vacuuming her car and deep-cleaning the pungent remains of a curry that spilled in the dead of winter. She is still absurdly pleased with herself for her clean, non-smelly car.
Take that vacation. Whether it’s a trip of a lifetime or a staycation, you’ll return rested and relaxed. You’ll have modeled vacationing to your staff. And Maine has such a wealth of vacation spots, you owe it to yourself to discover them.
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