I have to admit that I tend to be an all or nothing type of person. While I try my best to be flexible, I’m happier when things go my way. Traveling has become a pretty big hobby for me now but I find that it’s difficult to switch between vacation mode and work mode. Weekend trips are great but they tend to end too soon and it’s hard to not think about work when you have 48 hours before you have to go back. It’s easier for me to work hard for a period of time and then go exploring than to switch back and forth. I like longer vacations because I think that it actually gives you time to unwind and relax. As much as a regular job with minimal time off can be exhausting, it’s important to have something to look forward to as motivation. When I’m in work mode I’m a homebody. I’m focused and I’m counting down the days to vacation. I’m not looking for new places to explore because I’m focused on doing what I need to do in order to take a much needed break.
Tag Archives: break
Cruising
This past week I had a chance to do one of my favorite things in the world–vacation. I honestly don’t know how people live life without taking a break from everything and recharging. There’s nothing like it in the world and as someone who tends to internalize everything, it’s good to take a break. For the first time in my life I took a cruise and it was amazing. There’s absolutely nothing that compares to sleeping to the rocking of the ship and the sounds of the waves from your open balcony. From the unlimited drinks to the cute guy I met, to swimming with dolphins, to snorkeling for the first time, the trip was a raging success. I’ll definitely be cruising somewhere again soon. I don’t usually post pictures but I’ll make an exception. Best trip of 2016! 
Bonus days
I think of holidays as bonus days. While there’s usually a purpose and a reason why the day has been recognized, I’m always grateful for a non weekend day that I’m not sitting in front of my computer in my cubicle. Traditionally I’ve had jobs that required me to be there regardless of what holiday it was. Hospitals don’t close so there’s an expectation that you’ll be working on the days that almost everyone else doesn’t have to. It’s interesting for me how other countries have more holidays and offer so much more flexibility in work time than in the States. I spoke to someone recently who took two weeks off from her job and she said it was the first vacation she had had in three years. Dedication is great but sometimes you have to take a few bonus days on your own and decompress. Even if it means taking a mental health break once in a while.
Bumming Around
These past few weeks or so I’ve had the wonderful privilege of having a relaxed schedule due to some fairly unforeseen circumstances. I can’t even explain how nice it is to look at my calendar and see days where there isn’t anything scheduled. While I like to be busy, I also do not mind not being busy. Maybe it’s the fact that earlier this year I was balancing two jobs, two schools, and a pretty decent client load. As nice as it is to be needed, sometimes it’s just as nice to not be needed. It’s been nice having somewhat of a break and it’s made me realize the importance of taking time out to actually rest, create a strategy, and decompress. Up to this point I’ve managed to escape the 9-5 40 hour workweek that so many people do. However, it’s about time for me to point my career in that direction–at least for a while. As much as I like doing my own thing, I also like being able to pay my bills on time. I could so totally be a housewife if given the opportunity. But somehow I know that I probably wouldn’t be so happy having that occupation for decades. I definitely need to make use of this $200,000 + education. Get some of that money back and recoup my investment. It’s nice to take a break but I’m also taking steps to start to fill up my schedule again and (gasp) actually probably give the 9-5 thing a shot. Thankfully there are already several things in motion, but until then I’m going to enjoy the privilege of midday naps.
Alisha's Angle 