Get Away!!!

Its been almost 4 years since I have taken a vacation.  Yes, sometimes I get to go out of town for the weekend or a week, but its always for business.  I did not realize how burned out I was until I left town for 5 days.  I totally unplugged.  Where I went is not important, what I learned IS important.  I learned that the body and mind can get mentally and physically exhausted if we don't take time to recharge.  I was completed exhausted.  I slept for 4 days in a row until about noon each day.  Instead of beating myself up for being lazy, I allowed my body to recover from chronic stress.

I have promised myself never to get that burned out again.  I hope to make time to renew every few months or so.  And no, going to Italy or Los Angeles for a trade show is not a vacation.  One thing that people NOT in my industry assume is when you travel for business its a "vacation."   Yes, when you travel for business you might get to stay in a hotel and eat in a restaurant.  But you are not unplugged.  You have an agenda, then its right back on the plane to the office.  Business travel is not a vacation, even if it is to another country.   In fact traveling overseas for business is more stressful than ever, because of the time changes, the climate change, not to mention the massive jet lag.

If you feel burned out, take time for yourself to recharge.  You don't have to spend a lot of money or even go far, but get out of your house, office, apartment and have a change of scenery.   Life is too short to just sit in front of a computer or in a cubicle.