Aaron McHugh
  • Start Here
  • Book
  • Podcast
    • All Episodes
  • Field Reports
  • Speaking
  • Workshop
    • Explorers Wanted
  • Free Guides
    • Learning to Pace Yourself: How to Keep Going
    • Road Trip Guide to California’s HWY 1
    • Free 7 day Course to Restoring Balance
    • 99 Ways to Navigate Your Best Life

Work Life Play: Hosted by Aaron McHugh

Why We Need Two-Week Vacations Episode #27

Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Overcast

In the spirit of being brief, these are the cliff notes to the 30 Minute podcast.

Americans do not take two-week vacations. We have a long list of reasons why we only take one-week breaks from our real life. Organizational culture, the volume of work, and landslides of email compounded by our addiction to busyness keep us tied to one-week vacations.

In this podcast, I make the case for why we need to take two-week vacations and the restorative benefits for our relationships, our work, and ultimately, ourselves.

Helpful Tips on How to Successfully Take a Two-Week Vacation

I provide specific tips and suggestions for how to go work with your boss, setup your out-of-office auto reply on email, and other helpful nuggets that I’ve discovered.

Click to Listen

The Top 5 Reasons Americans Do Not Take Two-Week Vacations

  1. Organizational culture doesn’t support it;
  2. The volume of work and email;
  3. We are addicted to work, busyness, motion, and action;
  4. The problem with vacation is that we go with ourselves (and so do our problems);
  5. The bar is way too high. We can’t afford a two-week vacation at the five-star resort.

The Business Case For Why We Need Two-Week Vacations

  1. We need to stop and become idle in order to become restored;
  2. We need to rediscover our own natural rhythms;
  3. Eat. Drink. Be Merry;
  4. IOU’s: We are relationally in debt and we need to make deposits in our family.

Tips and Suggestions For Making Your Exit

  1. Start your out of office email reply one day before leaving.
  2. Speak with your boss and ask for his/her support for you to NOT CHECK EMAIL at all.
  3. Turn off your email account on your iPhone.
  4. Upon return from your fourteen day restorative bonanza, make phone calls to three to five key people and ask these questions, “What do I need to know about? Where do I need to focus my attention?”
  5. Be gracious to yourself. Give yourself a few days to get your legs under you again.
Share:
Next episode:
What to Do When It’s Your Turn with Seth Godin Episode #26 Listen now

Navigate a life worth living

Sign up to receive regular emails about living a fulfilling and meaningful life

Sign Up

Copyright © 2023 Aaron McHugh

About

  • About Aaron
  • Book
  • Joy Bus
  • Contact

Learn

  • Podcast
  • Field Reports

Events

  • Speaking
  • Workshop
  • Coaching

Free Guides

  • HWY 1
  • How to Keep Going
  • Restoring Balance
  • 99 Ways

Follow Aaron