Vacations

Do you believe a vacation is a luxury or a necessity for your health and well-being? Even if you love your job and brag that you work best under pressure, a period of rest and recreation may be necessary to prevent job burnout and restore creativity.

Vacations can provide a chance for families to be together as a unit and this effort is often difficult during the hectic routine of other seasons. They also provide an opportunity to share hopes and dreams, to reflect on past events and to plan for the future.

Vacations can be a lot of fun or they can be a nightmare. Much of the time the results are determined by careful planning. Some of the common problems that can contribute to a disastrous vacation are:

Trying to cram too many activities into too short a period of time. Families race from one event or place to another, rising early, and staying up late, and adhering to a rigid and tight schedule. They, of course, end up exhausted.

The best way to plan is for all of the family to sit down together and contribute ideas and make suggestions. There needs to be something in the vacation for everyone within an expense range that won’t wreck the family budget. Coming home to a lot of credit card bills or running out of money will detract from pleasant memories. Vacations don’t have to be a five-star classification.

Don’t expect every minute of the vacation to be free from tension and frustration. Instead learn to develop a sense of humor. Don’t use these trips to criticize one another or discuss controversial and unpleasant material that could lead to conflicts and hard feelings.

Start preparing for your vacation departure several days before leaving. Begin packing early. Arrange for assistance with the mail and newspaper along with lawn maintenance and pet care. Do this several days before leaving home so that at the start of the vacation your are not exhausted because of preparation.

While on your holiday, maintain good health habits such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting adequate sleep and wearing enough suntan lotion to avoid sun damage

to your skin. Don’t let your job follow you while on vacation and wind up blurring the line between work and vacation.

Plan ahead when possible. Make reservations in advance. Here’s hoping for a great vacation for you and your family.