by Haven Logan PH.D

        
Historically Americans have had fewer paid vacation days than citizens of other industrialized nations. Now it seems that our vacations are getting even shorter. The average number of paid vacation days in the U.S.A. presently stands at 13 per annum, compared to France’s 37 and Italy’s 42. Twenty-five percent of American employees, along with the increasing number of self-employed individuals, get no paid time off. Even more surprising to me is a recent study by the Families and Work Institute which reported that 36% of employees with paid vacation said that they were not planning to take their full vacation this year. They cited fear of getting behind in their work, fear of loosing their jobs if they took time off, and finances, in general, as reasons for not taking all their vacation days.

Vacations are essential to our physical and mental health. Vacations have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks in men by 30% and in women by 50%. Vacations help prevent job burn out, give us a chance to reconnect with family and friends in a leisurely atmosphere, and allow us to experience ourselves again outside of the roles and daily stresses of adult life.

Once you are convinced that you need to take a vacation a whole range of questions pop up: Where do I go? When do I go? What will it cost? How can I meet everyone’s needs? These are the indicators of another syndrome of modern life which has recently been identified as “Vacation Expectation Syndrome.” It seems that we are not only taking less vacation but we expect a lot more of the vacations we do take. Some people become so overwhelmed by the choices they have and trying to plan “the perfect vacation” that they give up on taking one or don’t enjoy the one that they do take.

Vacations used to be a lot easier! They followed a predictable pattern; the family would return each year to the cabin on the lake or go camping in a variety of parks or pile everyone into the station wagon to visit distant relatives. Now-a-days our options are endless. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements for exotic vacations, while we try to balance everyone’s schedules and the pressure to visit distant family with our own dreams and financial resources.

Five Steps to Planning Your Next Vacation

Step # 1 - Before you rush off to find the cheapest fares on the Internet or commit to relatives that you’ll be there for graduation, take some time to consider the most important question to ponder about any vacation: What do you want to get out of the vacation? Don’t worry about gas prices or schedules or exactly where you want to go at this point. Give yourself the luxury of daydreaming about what you want to experience on vacation this year. Do you see yourself swinging in a hammock with a good book? Are you experiencing a city you’ve never seen before? Are you in nature challenging yourself physically? Perhaps you see yourself with friends or family you haven’t seen in a long time? When you feel ready, take out paper and write down the three most important things you want to experience on your next vacation in order of priority. (If you’re vacationing by yourself go directly to Step # 4.)

Step # 2 – Ask those who will be vacationing with you to do their own day-dreaming and to write down their three priority experiences. Make sure all family members keep their lists private so that they will honestly put down what is most important to them.

Step # 3 – Here comes the difficult part. Get everyone together and compare your lists. If they are similar, planning a vacation could be fairly easy. But if one person dreams of lying in a hammock, another of hiking in the mountains, and a third of attending cultural events, finding a vacation that can meet all these different needs can be a challenge. Do some brainstorming about where you might go that would meet each of your needs. It’s hard to suddenly be spending 24 hours a day with family or friends. To make this work, it’s very important that everyone spends at least part of the vacation doing something that they really want to do. This could be done together or separately.

Step # 4 – Now come down to earth! Having decided what each of you really wants to get out of your vacation; it’s time to look honestly at your financial situation. Going into debt for a vacation isn’t going to help your stress. What can you afford to spend this year on a vacation? Will this be a deluxe, moderate, or economy vacation? Maybe you’ll decide you really want that vacation in Hawaii but can’t afford it now so you’ll start saving to go in the future. This year you may decide upon a vacation camping in the mountains near a town that holds a music festival. Such a plan could satisfy everyone’s # 1 priority at a budget you can afford.

Step #5 – In addition to being realistic about your finances, it’s essential to be realistic about your time. How long can you take for a vacation and when will you go? The longer your vacation, the further you will be able to get away from your daily life. If you are traveling far from home, you have to allow for a day of travel on either end. Since studies show that it takes at least three days to really relax once you’re at your vacation spot, you might want to choose a location close to home if you have only a week or less. Some people even find that the best place of all to vacation is at home! If you do decide on a “home vacation” just make sure that you change your normal routines and do something you love every day.

Remember to take into account the time and effort needed to prepare for your vacation and to readjust to your daily routine when you get back. Having an extra day on either end is ideal, though not everyone has this luxury. Wherever you go and whatever you do, make sure your vacation is a true getaway. Leave your work life behind! Instead of your laptop, bring that novel you never have a chance to read at home. Don’t worry about the vacation being perfect or stress about the things that you can’t control. Relish not having to meet a schedule and getting to choose what you will do each day. Give yourself this time to just enjoy being alive. You deserve it!