In the US, it can be difficult to think about taking a vacation and travel every year. It’s standard for companies to offer employees 10 paid vacation days per year. Yet, less than half of us actually take those days off. America gets far less time off than many other countries, and we don’t to take full advantage of our downtime.
In Finland, where individuals get 30 paid vacation days per year, studies show that people are happier. Of course, happiness has to do with a sense of well being, which results from utilization of self-care opportunities. Those who are happier and have a more positive outlook are also those who are more creative and more productive.
Not Using Time Off Leads to Burnout
Working hard all the time and neglecting days off and self-care has a negative impact on how productive we are. Neurologists say that people who work 15 hour days only get 30 minutes of actual work done in their last few hours. Time to reset and rest gives us greater ability to function at full capacity the following day.
Those who don’t indulge in the yearly vacation neglect to do so for other reasons. These include fear of being replaceable at work, stress of planning the vacation, anxiety over safety and security (particularly since COVID), having to worry about pets, and budget.
Many Americans may have the notion that a vacation must necessarily cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, but this is simply not true. In actuality, the US is absolutely full of very budget friendly vacation spots. Not only that, but it’s easy to bring pets along, and these vacation spots can be found close to home almost all the time.
With about 14,000 privately owned campgrounds and RV parks, it’s easy to plan an outdoor vacation. It can be full of fun and opportunities for making memories with friends and family without breaking the bank. Different types of outdoor adventures fit different budgets such as a more primitive camping, or glamping. Glamping combines hotel amenities with the experience of the outdoors. Such vacations can cost anywhere from nearly free to to $3000 per day. Such a wide range of costs allows every individual can fit within their own budgets and vacation wants.
Planning an outdoor vacation doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Having such an experience can help you reset, re-center yourself, disconnect, and focus on the important things for a while so that you’re ready to get back to the daily grind with vigor and rejuvenation.
Make memories last with activities from hiking, fishing, swimming, singing around a campfire, visiting waterparks and sightseeing. An outdoor vacation is a perfect solution of how and where to spend all your paid vacation days.
