Not hypothetically. In reality.
I am a strong advocate of working hard, and playing hard. Quite often, these two can mix and cause damage. Or great success if the timing is right. Now we all work hard, right? Grinding away, making sure things get done, people get paid, and our business grows well. Long hours, extra tasks, extra stress, it's all in the name of creating a better life and business. No time to rest- the business isn't waiting. It needs to be constantly fed, constantly maintained! Well. I've got news for you.
Not taking a vacation can actually kill you.
Not immediately of course. But it can. The article included above, written by an actual doctor opposed to some random blogger like myself, states that a study comprised of 12 thousand men was conducted over the course of 14 years. It found that "...taking multiple vacations, up to five a year, resulted in a 32% lower chance of death from all causes, compared to the men who didn't take vacations." That's pretty powerful.
In a different view, this blogger (I had to include one) takes a more philosophical approach to a vacation saving your life. His views are simple: we work too much, and we forget that there is more to life than your next work shift. Vacations aren't the thing that's important. It's the break, the ability to unwind, the ability to let your guard down. That's what really matters. You don't have to go anywhere to do whatever you want, to be honest.
And let's not forget about one of the most insidious killers in the United States. Stress. Chronic stress has a LOT of health problems associated with it. I mean, you name it. Heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke. But here's the funny thing.
What I find the most alarming is the contradictory nature of the "more work is better" model. We work hard. Forever. Never taking vacations, always mired in responsibility and stress, and then? We wind up dead for all our trouble. So...work has to cease when you're dead, correct? So how is this model helping anyone? It's not, that's how.
Vacations are not excuses to be lazy. Rather, they are rewards for a lot of hard work that we all do. If we cannot reward ourselves, how will we even know when we get the carrot attached to the stick that we've been following for so long?
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Vacations, Staycations, and Relaxations
Usually this blog is pretty heavy in regards to content, so I want to lighten the mood. Summer is almost over, but there is still time to go and have a terrific vacation. I did some research on the Internet- looking for popular spots and interesting destinations.
Of course, summer usually means the beach, so I wanted to do some snoopin' on good beach locations that you and yours can enjoy. I found one site that listed some popular beaches. These are not exactly a three hour drive from home (well, it could be! I don't know where you live), but they are special nonetheless. I found another article that listed some more...local? Shall we say? Beach towns that you and your family can enjoy. I also hear that they're not ultra-expensive.
Maybe you're not the beach goer? Okay then. Honestly, neither am I! So I ventured out into the wilds of the Internet to hunt down some more interesting spots. I found a site that just listed a whole bunch of cool places (several of which I've been to) you and your brood can visit. Some destinations on the list included:
1. The Galapagos Islands
This is one of the most magical and incredible places I have ever been in my entire life. Definitely for the animal lover, snorkeler, and scuba diver, you can book a vacation there through G Adventures, the company my wife and I used when we went there for our honeymoon. G Adventures is a terrific company that answers all your questions, provides stellar customer service, and is willing to work with you to find the perfect spot. If you wanna go to the Galapagos, be ready to see incredible animals that are literally INCHES away from you (like Albatross, Blue Footed Boobies, Frigate Birds and MORE), and unbelievable aquatic life (Sea Lions, Tropical Fish, Hammerhead Sharks, and MORE). Definitely worth a visit.
2. Cape Cod
Also a beautiful place. Make sure you go during the on season in the summer. It is really boring any other time. Anyway, Cape Cod is beautiful. There is a gorgeous coastline, dozens of seafood places to chow down on, and many tourist spots. It's a great place to share with your family.
But hey. Vacation isn't all about the kids, right? ANY of these places can be awesome whether its just you, or you and 15 members of your family. And for those of you who can't get away from home, the Staycation is becoming quite popular. Here's a website with some ideas, and another article that lists some cool places and activities you can do that are affordable, and easy.
Vacations aren't about the destination though. Sure, who doesn't like to get away?! But a vacation is mostly mental. You must let yourself relax, and enjoy whatever you may be experiencing! Remember, a vacation starts in your head. Your body merely follows.
BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN!!!
Of course, summer usually means the beach, so I wanted to do some snoopin' on good beach locations that you and yours can enjoy. I found one site that listed some popular beaches. These are not exactly a three hour drive from home (well, it could be! I don't know where you live), but they are special nonetheless. I found another article that listed some more...local? Shall we say? Beach towns that you and your family can enjoy. I also hear that they're not ultra-expensive.
Maybe you're not the beach goer? Okay then. Honestly, neither am I! So I ventured out into the wilds of the Internet to hunt down some more interesting spots. I found a site that just listed a whole bunch of cool places (several of which I've been to) you and your brood can visit. Some destinations on the list included:
1. The Galapagos Islands
This is one of the most magical and incredible places I have ever been in my entire life. Definitely for the animal lover, snorkeler, and scuba diver, you can book a vacation there through G Adventures, the company my wife and I used when we went there for our honeymoon. G Adventures is a terrific company that answers all your questions, provides stellar customer service, and is willing to work with you to find the perfect spot. If you wanna go to the Galapagos, be ready to see incredible animals that are literally INCHES away from you (like Albatross, Blue Footed Boobies, Frigate Birds and MORE), and unbelievable aquatic life (Sea Lions, Tropical Fish, Hammerhead Sharks, and MORE). Definitely worth a visit.
2. Cape Cod
Also a beautiful place. Make sure you go during the on season in the summer. It is really boring any other time. Anyway, Cape Cod is beautiful. There is a gorgeous coastline, dozens of seafood places to chow down on, and many tourist spots. It's a great place to share with your family.
But hey. Vacation isn't all about the kids, right? ANY of these places can be awesome whether its just you, or you and 15 members of your family. And for those of you who can't get away from home, the Staycation is becoming quite popular. Here's a website with some ideas, and another article that lists some cool places and activities you can do that are affordable, and easy.
Vacations aren't about the destination though. Sure, who doesn't like to get away?! But a vacation is mostly mental. You must let yourself relax, and enjoy whatever you may be experiencing! Remember, a vacation starts in your head. Your body merely follows.
BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Stress and Working Yourself to Death
We all must work. Whether it is an honest job or not, we all work somehow. Many of us, however, work ourselves to the point where we can no longer work. Doesn't have to be physical. Some of the hardest workers I know barely lift anything over 5 pounds in their work day. But this is the point of this whole damn entry- most of us, and I mean as a nation (U.S.A.), work way too long, and way too hard.
Where does it end? With debt, cost of living, unexpected expenses, most people have to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. Many other countries that we share the planet with set a maximum hour limit to a work week. America does not. We also among the countries that have the most of our men and women working over 40 hours a week.
There are no laws regulating paid sick days (a company does not have to offer them) and employers expect more and more and more from us on average as money and resources get tighter. The article listed in this paragraph begun to suggest that this type of cycle is more insidious than circumstantial: and that's not just me whining- there is only so much a human being can do in a day before work suffers. Before life suffers.
Here's a look at offered vacation days around the world that'll make you sad:
Don't understand the graph? Me either. So, I found this webpage that details it all. And I quote:
"This report reviewed international vacation and holiday laws and found that the United States is the only advanced economy that does not guarantee its workers any paid vacation or holiday."
Now of course this doesn't mean that NO-ONE takes vacation days, but what I found interesting is that Americans actually wind up giving back vacation days, i.e. not using them. In this article, it is stated that, "In 2009, harrumphs Expedia, Americans 'gave back' a total of 436m vacation days." That number has probably increased since then. If we do get offered vacation days, sometimes we don't take them to try and do more at work to get ahead. When we do take them, we typically don't use all of them, and sometimes? We can't use all our vacation days if they're not paid. We can't afford to miss work!
What have we become? Forget America for a second. What has a human being become? We just...work until death? Is that what we are? A tireless, bio-machine that simply goes to work, keeps working, and then expires without retirement benefits. People. We're not meant to live our lives this way.
Easier said than done of course. But. Yes, there's always but. But. I wanted to see what working does to your body. According to this website, "the latest findings discovered by scientists at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health support results from a 2011 British survey that revealed that doing more than 11 hours of work a day raised heart disease risks by 67 percent." The article then suggested that poor diet, lack of exercise (these two most commonly associated with office jobs in my opinion AND from personal experience) creates a well? In a word? Fatal combination.
Then, being under the constant stress of working all the time, your body produces cortisol, which is good in short amounts, but when your bloodstream is flooded with the stuff 24/7, you can see all sorts of dangerous side effects, like increased blood pressure, and a compromised immune response. And then, you can enjoy a nice heart attack for all you hard work and dedication.
But as Americans, we work more than most other 1st world countries. Which is startling. Aren't we always told that Americans have zero work ethic? Have no spine for true, hard work? Not all of us. Some? Sure. But not all of us. Not me. Probably not you, either. Here's what I found (quote taken from here):
"The UN International Labour Organisation said the average Australian, Canadian and Japanese worker worked about 100 hours, or 2.5 weeks less than the average American per year. Brazilians and British workers worked 250 hours, or more than five weeks less, while Germans worked roughly 500 hours, or 12.5 weeks less."
We all work hard. But it seems that America is working the "hardest". And this is not a completely good thing. Americans, whether they were born and raised here, or immigrated from a different land, work way too much. Race doesn't play into it. Location does. Why America? Why do we demand so much for so little? Why are we not the only ones thinking this way? I have no idea. One could speculate, of course. Economy, ethics, greed, this list could go on and on. But the fact of the matter is we, humans, all work too hard. Life winds up becoming weekend to weekend, and if you work on the weekend, you may have no rest at all!
So what are we to do? I don't know.
Do you?
Where does it end? With debt, cost of living, unexpected expenses, most people have to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. Many other countries that we share the planet with set a maximum hour limit to a work week. America does not. We also among the countries that have the most of our men and women working over 40 hours a week.
There are no laws regulating paid sick days (a company does not have to offer them) and employers expect more and more and more from us on average as money and resources get tighter. The article listed in this paragraph begun to suggest that this type of cycle is more insidious than circumstantial: and that's not just me whining- there is only so much a human being can do in a day before work suffers. Before life suffers.
Here's a look at offered vacation days around the world that'll make you sad:
 | ||
| Source: http://20somethingfinance.com/american-hours-worked-productivity-vacation/ |
"This report reviewed international vacation and holiday laws and found that the United States is the only advanced economy that does not guarantee its workers any paid vacation or holiday."
Now of course this doesn't mean that NO-ONE takes vacation days, but what I found interesting is that Americans actually wind up giving back vacation days, i.e. not using them. In this article, it is stated that, "In 2009, harrumphs Expedia, Americans 'gave back' a total of 436m vacation days." That number has probably increased since then. If we do get offered vacation days, sometimes we don't take them to try and do more at work to get ahead. When we do take them, we typically don't use all of them, and sometimes? We can't use all our vacation days if they're not paid. We can't afford to miss work!
What have we become? Forget America for a second. What has a human being become? We just...work until death? Is that what we are? A tireless, bio-machine that simply goes to work, keeps working, and then expires without retirement benefits. People. We're not meant to live our lives this way.
Easier said than done of course. But. Yes, there's always but. But. I wanted to see what working does to your body. According to this website, "the latest findings discovered by scientists at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health support results from a 2011 British survey that revealed that doing more than 11 hours of work a day raised heart disease risks by 67 percent." The article then suggested that poor diet, lack of exercise (these two most commonly associated with office jobs in my opinion AND from personal experience) creates a well? In a word? Fatal combination.
Then, being under the constant stress of working all the time, your body produces cortisol, which is good in short amounts, but when your bloodstream is flooded with the stuff 24/7, you can see all sorts of dangerous side effects, like increased blood pressure, and a compromised immune response. And then, you can enjoy a nice heart attack for all you hard work and dedication.
 |
| Source: http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/coronary_artery_blockage_000441.htm |
But as Americans, we work more than most other 1st world countries. Which is startling. Aren't we always told that Americans have zero work ethic? Have no spine for true, hard work? Not all of us. Some? Sure. But not all of us. Not me. Probably not you, either. Here's what I found (quote taken from here):
"The UN International Labour Organisation said the average Australian, Canadian and Japanese worker worked about 100 hours, or 2.5 weeks less than the average American per year. Brazilians and British workers worked 250 hours, or more than five weeks less, while Germans worked roughly 500 hours, or 12.5 weeks less."
We all work hard. But it seems that America is working the "hardest". And this is not a completely good thing. Americans, whether they were born and raised here, or immigrated from a different land, work way too much. Race doesn't play into it. Location does. Why America? Why do we demand so much for so little? Why are we not the only ones thinking this way? I have no idea. One could speculate, of course. Economy, ethics, greed, this list could go on and on. But the fact of the matter is we, humans, all work too hard. Life winds up becoming weekend to weekend, and if you work on the weekend, you may have no rest at all!
So what are we to do? I don't know.
Do you?
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Holidays and Business
There are many times when work will interfere with family time. I see a lot of places that are open 24/7, regardless of holidays. I have also seen other business offer time and a half, or double time to people that will work over the holidays. We reward such behavior opposed to...not forbidding it, but encouraging it.
Humans work. Humans work and work and work, and I must say that humans aren't meant to work like this. No person is. I've heard of many cases far east of people literally working themselves to death. To death! What are we saying about humanity when we can't even stop working to survive?
Laziness and diligence are two sides of the same coin. Most don't realize this. You can be too lazy. Get nothing done, neglect your health, hygiene, relationships. You can also be too diligent. The symptoms can also be similar, if you think about it.
There is nothing wrong with working hard. Nothing at all. But there is something wrong when all you do is work. Even for people that don't celebrate any holidays, don't have any family, what- they are supposed to work? They can toil while the "real" people with a family and a holiday enjoy themselves? This isn't right.
Work. Work hard. But know when it's time to take a break. Contrary to popular belief, working too hard actually inhibits productivity. And. It can also kill you.
Take a break.
Humans work. Humans work and work and work, and I must say that humans aren't meant to work like this. No person is. I've heard of many cases far east of people literally working themselves to death. To death! What are we saying about humanity when we can't even stop working to survive?
Laziness and diligence are two sides of the same coin. Most don't realize this. You can be too lazy. Get nothing done, neglect your health, hygiene, relationships. You can also be too diligent. The symptoms can also be similar, if you think about it.
There is nothing wrong with working hard. Nothing at all. But there is something wrong when all you do is work. Even for people that don't celebrate any holidays, don't have any family, what- they are supposed to work? They can toil while the "real" people with a family and a holiday enjoy themselves? This isn't right.
Work. Work hard. But know when it's time to take a break. Contrary to popular belief, working too hard actually inhibits productivity. And. It can also kill you.
Take a break.
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