Tag Archives: recharging yourself

Vacation – Prescription for Getting Unstuck

view from room_jamaica_2014xmas

Magnificent Jamaica – Ocho RIos Jewel’s Dunn River Resort

 

Are you feeling stuck in your business or career? If you feel that your life is a never-ending ride in a Ferris Wheel, looking at the same scenery, then vacation maybe your perfect prescription. Even if you are happy and moving ahead in your work, a good vacation may help you reach the next level.

Think you are too busy to take time off? Think again. If our President of the USA can find some time to take off for couple of vacations in a year, surely you can too. It is just how you look at it. Think of vacation as not running away from work. But think of it as time for a tune-up and for recharging your batteries. You will come back with a fresh dose of enthusiasm, and ideas that will energize you.

And vacation does not have to be expensive. If you cannot afford an expensive trip, you can go to a soothing place nearby or even have a ‘staycation’. You may stay at home but do something different. If you can afford it, however, then perhaps go to a different country, experience a different culture. You will learn something new from that culture and gain a broader perspective. About a week or so maybe enough for you to get re-energized.
I truly feel that in order to develop the big ideas, you have to step out from your conventional settings and get away from the daily routine. This is why many companies have their meeting in retreats.

We have a tradition now of taking a family vacation in December during Christmas Break. It allows us to connect together as a family and talk to our twin sons (who are now in college) without distractions from their friends and our work and do things together as a family. It allows me to reflect on the year, see what excites me and my colleagues, and what new initiatives and projects we should be doing in the coming year, and what we can learn from our past mistakes.

More Importantly, it allows me time to read a lot of different books and learn from other people’s experiences.

This Christmas vacation, we spent a few days in Jamaica. Spending the time by the Ocean and enjoying company of my family and the hospitality of the resort and the Jamaican people was invigorating.

But I also spent quite a bit of time reading a number of books which were both inspirational and provided practical tips on how I can improve myself and my business.

I am happy with the progress we have achieved last year in our business, excited about new possibilities in the coming year and can hardly wait for implementing our new ideas this coming year. I wish all of you the very best for 2015 and urge all of you to make vacations and time off as important tools in your arsenal on how to take your business or career to the next level.