Americans are often said to be one of the most over-worked populations in the world. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, 25% of working Americans get zero paid time off from their jobs. Even our neighbors to the north in Canada are given 19 days of paid vacation time, while countries like France and Italy offer their employees 31 days of paid time off from work. If you’re luck enough to get away from the office for a while — whether it’s a week or a weekend — make sure you make the most out of it, because we Americans are already starved for relaxation time as it is.
Even when we do manage to escape, whether it’s to exotic cities, all inclusive resorts, or beachside vacation rentals, work guilt pervades our lives. Recent surveys reveal that 10% of vacationers claim they can’t relax at all while on holiday, and it’s no wonder: 25% said a colleague contacted them while away and 20% corresponded with their boss while on vacation! So much for relaxation and de-stressing.
If you’re paying good money for vacation rentals, make the most out of your new home-away-from-home. Soak in everything the luxury villas have to offer, whether it’s sun, sand, water, or wine. But with those all inclusive vacation packages, there’s one thing you really ought to exclude, and that’s the Internet.
It’s easier said than done. The constant habits of checking email, scrolling through social media, and catching up with the world through its wide web are a safety net for sanity in the real world, but they’re hard habits to kick while on vacation. Our thumbs seem to have minds of their own, opening apps before we even know what’s happening. Leaving your phone on the bedside table might help you cut back while you’re out on the town or beach, but its irresistible updates will still be waiting when you return.
The only way to kick scrolling syndrome while you’re on holiday is to ban the Internet from your vacation rentals entirely. You might panic, at first, when your email doesn’t refresh or your newsfeed doesn’t reload. But with a little bit of time, it can serve as a calming reminder that the world doesn’t always have to refresh itself at breakneck speed. Sometimes, the best refresher is enjoying the stillness of the world around you, just as it is.
