Society is constantly developing into a more high-paced environment causing burnout from our daily jobs. This is not just because of the pressures of the job environment but of the external environment as well. While keeping a good job is hard, keeping up with the Jone’s is an even harder issue to deal with. This is why you should not neglect taking time off from work. A vacation leave not only prevents you from crashing and burning out in the workplace; it also serves as an escapade from having to fulfill unnecessary “obligations” to people you’re not even close with. It is because of this that you should take time off and relax. Go on vacation. Pamper yourself. Spend money on experiences instead of things.
When you’re away on vacation or just taking a mini break from your usual environment; you gain more freedom to do what you want without having to please anybody else. This is the kind of breathing space that everyone needs from time to time. If your current level of wellness is not at it’s optimal state, spending time on a new experience is definitely helpful.
There are other reasons why you should spend more time and money on experiences rather than things. Here are 5 of them:
Feeling Good is Better Than Just Looking Good
Clothes can make you look good but if you’re feeling unwell, your clothes won’t be able to hide it (not all the time anyway). On the other hand, even if your clothes are just plain and simple, if you feel good inside, it will definitely show.
A good workout and healthy habits, like having a set of morning habits, are an important part of feeling and looking good. So before you splurge on more clothes and shoes (I know, I’ve been there), think of pampering your body first. A trip to the spa or a massage might be a better plan of action than blowing your budget at the department store.
Learning Something New Can Inspire You
New information opens up our mind to new possibilities and inspire us to form new life goals or pursue dormant ones. Engaging in the learning experience itself also provides you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment that you may not find in your regular job.
More importantly, it allows you to connect with different kinds of people and form new relationships; helping you to further expand your perspectives and social network. No one is too old to learn something new, so follow your heart and find something that interest you and learn about it in whatever way you can.
When you go to the office and have new things to teach your co-workers, doesn’t that scenario feel much better than the usual conversation by the office cooler?
Experiences Enhances Your Emotional Health
A dinner out, a staycation or a vacation is not just a good way to unwind but also enhances our emotional health. Staying out of a stressful environment obviously has benefits to your physical health but it has positive effects to your emotional health as well.
It opens you up to new things to appreciate, wonder about and be interested in. Yes, there might be moments that you will complain about but overall, a travel experience leaves lessons and memories that you can never buy with money.
A vacation is also a chance to get to know yourself better. New experiences present new challenges such as having to get along well with people, that gives you satisfaction and leaves you with more confidence when you have overcome the challenge. For example, you may succeed in overcoming a situation which requires a lot of your self-control.
Of course, a vacation also means you can make new friends, taste new food, experience different cultures and even discover a new interest or a new side to yourself you never knew you had.
When you go home from a vacation, your only proof are your scars or your sunburn, photographs, souvenirs and your memory of all your experiences. When you look back on them and tell your stories, you always realize how precious those times were. Some people regret taking a particular vacation but most vacations end up as good memories that we always want to recall again and again.
Giving is Better Than Receiving
We usually have a weekend routine of going to the mall with family or with friends. Try volunteering your time and energy for a good cause and get a different sense of satisfaction.
You don’t have to volunteer for a charitable foundation or event. Just the act of giving time to a friend for a heartfelt conversation; volunteering to clean the house while the rest of the family is away or cooking for your friends at home rather than eating in a restaurant, gives you a different sense of accomplishment from the usual pleasure of going to the mall.
Helping does not only give us a different kind of satisfaction, it also enhances our sense of self-worth. Don’t wait to be asked for help. Volunteer and see for yourself what kind of satisfaction it brings when you see the light of gratitude spark in the eyes of the person who appreciated your efforts.
You may have many more reasons to add to this simple list. Go ahead and try them out. The point is to spend more time in taking care of yourself and strengthening your sense of self so you have more motivation and energy to go through your daily activities.
So don’t refuse to take time off, take that vacation, splurge on that spa session, get that massage. You must also make sure that you include activities that help improve your wellness in your daily routine. You can get another job, but you can’t get another body. Take care of yourself first. Put yourself number one in your list of things to do.
Updated. First published in Pinoy Smart Living 07.19.2018
Feature Image: Original Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.
