3 Signs You Need A Vacation

You have been in a revolving door of wake up, work, sleep, and repeat for months. You spend every minute solving problems and handling responsibilities. Meeting deadlines, "zooming" from meetings to meetings, taking care of home, and all things adulting is finally taking its toll. It is fair to say that you may be experiencing symptoms of being overworked and overwhelmed, and it is time for a much needed getaway.

Here are three signs you are in need of a vacation:

One: You are becoming forgetful

Short memory lapses can be a sign you are in need of a break. When the brain is overloaded with information and doesn't have consistent rest periods to process the information, it may become much easier to be forgetful. Have you ever walked into a room and forgot why you were there? Have you had days where you finished up work, but couldn't recall anything you have accomplished that day? Your body senses something, but your mind has not caught up yet. You need some uninterrupted rest. Time away from the hustle and bustle helps to reset your brain (like a computer) and clear out the noise.

Two: Restless and sleepless nights are more consistent

Find yourself tossing and turning most nights? Or just laying in your bed staring into the dark waiting anxiously for your brain and body to shut down? This is the cause of being overwhelmed. Stressors throughout the day can turn up right when we hit our heads on the pillow. Our minds start to worry and wander uncontrollably, and without invitation. Not having the ability to 'shut down' the mind can really interrupt getting the sleep we need to rejuvenate. If you are having a hard time sleeping, I suggest utilizing mindfulness/sleep apps like Calm - my favorites are the beach soundscapes. And sometimes I find that being in a new, more calming space helps with sleep. So try taking a trip to experience the soundscapes in real time.

Three: Your Accruals hit their Max!

You can't remember the last time you took vacation. To make it worse you received a notification from your Human Resources that you hit your max accrual. (What does this mean? Contact me). I had to throw in this one because sometimes we need external validation for what our minds and bodies are already feeling. Don't let your time pass you by. For those still working a 9-5, your vacation is a form of compensation. Meaning your work earned you the right to take some time for yourself. Use it! Rule of thumb for me: I allocate two weeks out of the calendar year towards vacation. I find the most optimal times in my work schedule to book an "uninterrupted, no contact, worry-free" trip to care for me holistically. Now, you are probably thinking 'there is never a optimal time for me to leave work at an extended period of time'. Well let me help you debunk that myth - schedule a consultation with me.

If any of this resonated with you, STOP, open up a new browser tab, and google: flights to [insert the first place that comes to mind]. This is your wake up call. It is important to listen to and care for your whole body and yours has been telling you it needs a vacation. You are stressed, overworked, overwhelmed, and burnt out. Some can heal this with an extended weekend. Others - like me - need at least a week. Learn what works for you...and execute it regularly. Care for yourself and book your vacation right now.

My recent vacation...because I deserved it!

I took my regularly scheduled vacation this year - this time to Jamaica. This trip was postponed for 3 years (yes, chiiille). I knew that with all that I have dealt with these past few years, I just needed time away to get back to me. And oh was I right. I was able to clear my mind, reset my body, and expand my soul on this trip. Through great food, lively music, and being emersed in a different culture, I received a feeling of renewal wash over me. I believe we need to get away from our constant patterns to completely revive our inner self. Learning new lifestyles and experiencing new things expands our very existence; making room for more of who we are to be alive. Here are some pictures from my revival vacation :)