The last few years have shown us a lot and some of the experiences can be summed up by “you do not know what you’ve got until it’s gone”. There are many people and songs this could potentially be cited back to, this phrase rings so true today. I have always felt that challenges are placed in front of us to learn and become better people. One big takeaway I have had, along with many others, because of the pandemic is the importance of time away and travel is a component of life.
Time Away, Should Be Time Away
Mental and physical health has been pushed to the forefront of importance. Many of the things we were used to doing to maintain our health were unavailable. Travel was shut down and gyms were closed. Exercising is something that could be easily replicated at home, but travel was more difficult to continue as we did before. Travel was confined to remain local or within the US due to many of the restrictions put in place.
The pandemic caused a blurring of the lines between work and family life making it difficult for many to delineate from the two. As things have eased up travel has come back strong for people to get away, enjoy, decompress, and recharge. We should all value our time away to mentally refresh ourselves and that has been more important and beneficial than ever. Disconnecting is sometimes difficult, but much needed. Time away, should be time away and not just working in a different location.
Take Time for Yourself
I remember early on in my career pushing myself to do more and more at the office without much of a break or downtime. This did not help me whatsoever and caused me more stress. One of my co-workers who noticed me pushing myself too hard offered for us to take a night off and enjoy (we went to a boxing match at the Vanderbilt in Melville), which I accepted. It was at this point that I realized there were other ways to make myself more productive and one of them was to make sure I was caring for myself. Following this night out I felt refreshed, recharged, and stronger than I did prior.
Vacations and time away are of similar, if not even greater, benefit. We all need this much-needed time more than ever as our worlds, personal and professional, have collided like never before. Take the time to care for your physical, mental, and personal health to ensure you can continue to strive for and achieve great things.
Traveling with family and friends provides tremendous value to your mental and physical wellbeing. Even though many of us remain active when we travel, I know I do, it is still different and allows for you to relax and recharge to come back better than before.
I will close with another quote that has been credited to many, “travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer”.
This article represents the opinion of Mitlin Financial Inc. It should not be construed as providing investment, legal and/or tax advice. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor.
