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Julie Cohen is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist MFT and a Child Mental Health Specialist with a private practice in Los Angeles Her areas of focus include depression anxiety panic post-traumatic stress bipolar…
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As we approach summer, many begin to shift their focus from work to play. Of course this year with the economy in such a bad state vacations will be at a minimum. Also, for those of you who are fortunate to get away, are you unplugging? It seems that more and more people are reluctant to turn off all electronics and detach from the office while on vacation. From a therapeutic perspective this is worrisome. Self-care is essential for good mental health. This includes taking time during the year to unplug and play.
If you suffer from depression or anxiety skipping this yearly tradition or not unplugging when you are away could exacerbate your symptoms. Vacations give your brain and soul an opportunity to rejuvenate and heal. I have this radical idea that usually is received with eye-rolls or "ya right's." What if health insurance companies gave a vacation benefit? Imagine how much stress would be reduced if we all had a mandatory Hawaiian vacation benefit. Stress is a major contributor to illness and wouldn't it be ultimately cost-effective if those benefitted vacations reduced stress related diseases? Anyway, a girl can dream!
Back to reality, with limited finances this year and the pressure to stay electronically attached to work, how can you disconnect and rejuvenate? The first step is to make it a priority. If you don't acknowledge the importance of a vacation then no one else will. You have to make the effort to plan time to unplug. Next, if finances are an issue, stay home. Plan a "staycation!" You can rejuvenate at home if you truly commit to a new routine while home. For instance, plan activities you might while traveling such as visiting museums, theatre or going out to dinner. Maybe attending a yoga class or get reacquainted with a hobby that you haven't had time for.
Most importantly, please disconnect from work! In most cases, your employer will find a way to survive without you for a week. And when you return, refreshed and invigorated, you will be a better worker.
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Next time you write about vacations, I hope you will cover the topic of how difficult it is for some of us to be on vacation. That is, I find working less stressful than trying to vacation and "trying to have a good time." Am I the only person who finds vacations stressful?
Carole Carson, Author
From Fat to Fit: turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction
Im going to try my hardest to go a sim at the point of not being able to put one foot in front of the other and feel if i dont get away im going to break into a million pices, im so exausted and i feel i cant go on like this.
I dont care about gadgets or expensive items, i would just setle for time with my best freind, i allways feel better when im around her.
I had a medication reaction after coming off meds ( being on them 12 yrs) and had been coping badly, im in an outpatient programme right now and feel like im clutching straws alot to stay afloat.
I took my tradazone 100mg for sleep at 10am and im now wide awake.Any suggestions welcome!.
Thankyou for listening to me ramble on, i just dont know how im going to climb out of this one.
DogCrazy.
Where do you go to disconnect from this?
I doubt if I'm alone in having a situation wherein the madates surrounding a vacation make the entire experience feel traumatic. I also don't believe that a once a year vacation is sufficient for rejuvination. I believe most of us need some "staycation" every day.
I've learned the hard way about how essential some form of mind-clearing/calming/and/or emotional release is on a daily basis. I survive by taking a bit of alone time each day, pray a little, let my mind go blank for a bit, meditate, think about something totally unrelated to the day's activities. It's at least equally important to take a vacation from anger and negative judgement, if that's an issue.
When I was in my tender teens, a co-worker would go hide in a bathroom stall in order to get a break. At the time, I thought it was absurd and that he was just being lazy (that's probably the reality in his case). Now I realize that such a tactic is in some situations very appropriate. Many employers still haven't figured out that a refreshed worker is able to produce more in an hour than an exhausted one can in three.
I agree that vacations are a wonderful thing, and should be considered necessary. I also feel it's important to "unplug" for short periods every day, even during the work day. I guess that habit could be thought of as a natural mood stabilizer.
Mary@transitionaldreams.com
Life coach