Okay, so we all know there is a work and vacation correlation. Yeah, I know, its obvious. We have to work to be able to take a vacation.. We work to make money to pay our bills and maintain our lifestyle, and hopefully put a little money back, to take time off for a getaway now and then. But, what we in the US often overlook, is that we also need to take vacation to be able to work, or at least to continue to work at the same level.
Taking regular and well planned vacations is essential to us in many ways, but in correlation to work, it is the vacations that enable us to maintain good work relationships and a positive attitude, to move up and get promoted within a company, to maintain efficiency and productivity, and to think creatively to accomplish tasks. (By the way, vacations also improve our “real life” relationships, our finances, and our physical health, but we will get to those things as we go along.) All of these topics deserve a good look, but today we will talk about maintaining work relationships and a positive attitude.
A full-time worker spends more time with their co-workers than with anyone else. If the workday itself is 8 hours, that is 33.3% of the day, right off the top. Add in overtime, commutes and getting ready, then throw in sleep, and we are only left with 4-6 hours daily for our “real lives,” and relationships with friends and family outside of work. Our co-workers often become like a second family for many of us. If we must work, this can be a great thing!
When we have healthy relationships with our co-workers, even become friends, we enjoy our work more, we have a better attitude, and the workload seems a little easier. When things get rough, we have someone to commiserate with. When something stupid happens, we have someone to laugh with. When we get frustrated, we have someone who lets us blow off steam. When we do something really well, we have someone who not only notices, but who pats us on the back.
We not only talk about the job, but we share our personal lives with our friends at work as well. We show off pictures of our families and pets, and talk about our hopes and goals for the future. Co-workers who are genuinely interested and care about each other make the work day much more rewarding.
But, no matter how close we become to our co-workers, there are always days when the stress level is high, and they can begin to get on our nerves, maybe even our last nerve. Do they realize how annoying popping their gum is? Does she REALLY want to talk to me again?? Does she know if she would work more and talk less, we could all get out of here?
It may not be anything they do at all, just the overall situation of working in a demanding environment with someone who isn’t just like us, who doesn’t do everything exactly the way we think it should be done, day in and day out. (But if they would just do things RIGHT, it would be a lot easier..)
Everyone needs a break from the people in their lives from time to time. Moms need a good soak in a hot tub, to have a break from the children. Partners need a girl or guys night out, to get away from their significant other. And co-workers need a vacation to get away from each other from time to time, to stay on a positive level.
Taking vacation gives us that necessary break from our co-workers. A good vacation relaxes and refreshes us, rejuvenating our mind, and spirit. It brings us back to work with a revitalized perspective. We may not ever be happy to go back to work, but we can at least do so with the realization that if we must work, we are pretty fortunate to work with those we consider friends!
You have to work. So do we. We here at gypsywithadayjob want you to be happy while you work, and to have great relationships with your co-workers. That is just one of the many reasons that we want you to take your vacations!
By the way, we also don’t expect you to take our word for how vacations will improve your life. Check out Project Time Off, and their Takeaday# campaign. They have lots of research to support the effects of vacations on relationships with co-workers and positive attitudes.
If you struggle with getting full vacations, you can always take a weekend getaway. We have a lot of them on our Weekend Getaways Page!
wonder why we are so keen on taking time off, our lives kinda tell the story. Check out our Who We Are Page!
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Excellent article !!! Thanks for sharing such a great informative post it really helpful and amazing so keep it up and all the best……
positive attitude goes hand in hand with giving yourself a break from the grind! fabulous article and best of luck!
I definitely agree with, I had my new years vacation and all of a sudden my boss give a call and I was ” what” ? lol
Thank you Indie Chick! Sometimes I wonder if my partner and I are the only ones who get this, and it is good to know we are not. You have inspired me to get a couple more of those stories done!
Spot on! I totally agree, taking a break gives you time to rejuvenate and relax. It’s important to not get burned out from the stress of commuting, working and dealing with household chores and to take that vacation time that you have earned. I think it makes people more productive because they can stop for a bit and enjoy life, and it gives them the feeling that life is not just passing them by. I don’t understand how people work for years and not take their vacation time, ever. It baffles me, especially when it’s paid! Lol @ the popping the gum thing – I used to work with someone like that in a basically silent office and all you heard was that damn gum snapping!! Enough to make a person snap on a bad day! Hence, the need for a vacation! 🙂