The Wagging Tail

“So, are you back to the grind, or are you still feeling the afterglow of your amazing vacation?” a friend of mine asked me. I can tell by the way she said “grind,” she basically means the hard work of everyday life. I’m two weeks back from the-vacation-of-all-vacations (don’t ask for specifics or you’ll be forced to hate me) and I’m a bit perplexed by her question. I assume she’s referring to my mental state, post-vacation.

I stuttered, “I’m still feeling good from my time away…” A bit vague, I know, but the best I could come up with at the time. Truth be told, I had an amazing week. I completely enjoyed my getaway, happy for the break in accountability, but equally happy to return to my world of work, as well as family and friends. Sound too Pollyanna? Sorry, I make no apologies. I like…no, love, what I do for a living and I know you feel the same way about your chosen career. No, I don’t dabble in the paranormal; I just know a few things about veterinarians, based on the last 18-months of working with Banfield folks. Here’s what I know: One – Veterinarians are passionate about the business of taking care of animals. Two – Vets are committed to fulfilling their professional obligations, and then some. And three – Vets are amazing people.

Here’s something else I know about you: You hold the same high-standard in your personal life, doing everything in your power to be the best friend, best parent and best child you can possibly be. But striving to be the best in every part of your life can be hard and all-consuming. Setting high-standards leaves little or no room for downtime. And although most vets buy into the concept of taking time away from life’s responsibilities, the reality is, many are not good at making time for breaks or regular vacations.

I know, I know… there are lots of good reasons why taking time-off right now might seem inconceivable. It’s hard to break away when you feel like the infrastructure might collapse, not to mention the cost and logistical details involved with planning a vacation. But if you stop and really let yourself think about it, it’s highly unlikely that taking a couple of days off will negatively impact your business or your personal life. In fact, it might do just the opposite. Most people soon realize that what they once considered to be an unproductive use of their time (usually pre-vacation) is actually very productive use of their time (usually post-vacation.) Renewed energy and a fresh perspective are the bi-products of an enjoyable vacation.

Are you bad about making plans to go away? When was the last time you took a vacation? If you are someone who does take time off, regularly, how do you do it? What do you tell yourself to make it happen?

* If you’re curious about where I went, post a comment and I’ll respond.