It's good to get away

Sitting in the doctor’s office the other day, I was reading a magazine to pass the time. The article that caught my eye was one on vacationing.

It seems that Americans don’t take all of their paid vacation days like people in other countries do. In fact, we waste 658 million vacation days annually, which results in $61.4 million in forfeited benefits.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, workers are getting more vacation days but using fewer of them. And when they do go on vacation, many are continuing to work via their smartphones and laptops.

To a large extent, the blame falls on constant Internet connectivity, lack of manager encouragement and workers’ misconceptions about what happens if they do “unplug,” according to two new reports.

The negative consequences of unused vacation time include employee burnout and lower productivity.

Apparently, people don’t do their best work if they push themselves too hard and never rest. I personally have been guilty of this.

The last vacation my husband and I took was in 2008!

Vacationing and resting is Biblical. In Mark 6:30-32 it says, “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.”

In fact, all through the New Testament, Jesus takes time to be by himself, rest and pray. It wasn’t always easy, but He made the effort so He didn’t burn out.

Even God rested on the seventh day from all his hard labor. He set the perfect example of how to work and then relax.

In Exodus 33:14, God even tells us He will help us with our relaxing time. It says, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”.

So why aren’t we using our vacation days. It might be that we are afraid that if we leave someone else will step in and do a better job.

It might be that we think we are so important that no one can replace us even for a few days. Or it might be (and this one is mine) we are just too lazy to plan out a vacation and then execute the plan.

Vacationing can be hard work if you have a “schedule” that must be followed. It probably is a better idea to “go with the flow” as they say.

Another reason for foregoing a vacation is the lack of money. It might be a sign that we need to make resting a priority and plan for it.

Whatever your reason for not vacationing, I encourage you to “re-think” it.

Get away from the pressures of your life and job so you have time to reconnect with yourself and God. It will make everything better.