Vacations Should Enhance Your Life and Relationships, Not be an Escape

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Are you running from something on vacation or simply relaxing?

I was talking with a relative yesterday about a recent vacation. I was asked by another whether it was a good escape from everyday life. It was a very rewarding vacation, but my relative responded before I could answer that if vacations are an escape from life, what does that say about your life? If vacations are to completely get away from normal activities in life or your job, what does that say about your job? If you take several vacations to get space from your partner, what does that say about your relationship?

I spent a good deal of my vacation doing “work” from the beach. This work did not feel at all like a chore. It was an enhancement in that I had pristine surroundings, but I loved almost every minute of it. Doing something I love as a counselor and small business owner and doing some of these job duties on vacation was a treat. Vacations can also be an opportunity for more sex.

If you work 50 weeks a year to save for a week or two in order to escape from that work, what does that say about your work? A former employer used to offer a vacation voucher for 10 years of service. This was a really nice benefit, but some people stayed years longer than they wanted to earn this perk. Is that really worth it? What does working this hard do to your relationship at home?