You may not notice it as you’re doing your daily tasks at work, but your body and mind need a break. This is the very reason governments in almost all countries around the world require companies to provide paid leaves of absences for their employees.
Of course, even if you’re the company owner, spending time away from work occasionally will also be beneficial for you. Whether it’s a Dubai heritage tour or just time spent quietly at home, going on vacation provides plenty of benefits, including:
- Better productivity
- Reduced stress levels
- Opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones
- Better quality of life
Now that you have enough reasons to use those vacation hours, you may be wondering about the best way to spend them. Lucky for you, this article compiles the six best ideas on how to spend your vacation leave.
1. Relish a staycation
Sometimes, the best vacation is one spent in the comforts of your own home. This is where a staycation comes in.
Coined from the words “stay” and “vacation,” a staycation is off-work time spent in a single place, be it your own home or a hotel. For many people, a staycation in their own house is the most satisfying of all because they get to remain home and still get paid.
A staycation is also a great way to do chores you haven’t been able to attend to or just relax and catch up on your favorite television shows. During your vacation leave, you can accomplish errands you haven’t been able to do because of work, including some much-needed document processing for your vehicle and any other miscellaneous tasks.
2. Head to the beach
When your vacation leave is in the summer, there’s no better way to spend it than basking in the sun’s warmth and enjoying the cool waters at the beach. Besides taking a physical break from all the work you’ve been doing, a trip to the beach also serves as an excellent escape from your busy city life.
Fortunately, you can easily do this when you’re in the UAE. Besides shiny buildings and tall skyscrapers, Dubai also offers plenty of beaches where you can enjoy the sand, sea, and the luxury of living in one of the world’s wealthiest cities.
You can even make it a regular thing and get some excellent privileges when you apply for a beach club membership in the city’s best resorts.
3. Do something extraordinary
During workdays, you might often feel that nagging boredom from the mundane tasks you do all day. To make matters worse, you do the same thing over and over every single day.
To help invigorate your mind, why not spend your vacation doing something extraordinary — things that make you feel excited and energized to be alive.
If you have no idea what to do, consider making a bucket list. It should include things that you would want to do at least once in your lifetime, like an exciting adventure, a once-in-lifetime opportunity, or something you’re not used to doing.
In short, do something you don’t normally do. This can be an adrenaline-pumping adventure or a trip somewhere that could give you a fresh perspective and a new outlook.
You can also take the time to learn a skill that is entirely new to you, like learning how to ride a bike (without the stabilizers, of course) and swim without floaties. You can also visit a place you’ve seen only in pictures or videos but have always wanted to witness in person.
The key is to choose an activity that will make you feel refreshed as if your “reset” button just got activated. This will do wonders for your well-being and could even boost your mood once you get back to work.
4. Have some “me” time
Many people – especially breadwinners and natural givers – tend to forget to give to themselves. Often, they lose sight of the fact that they no longer have much to offer because they’ve exhausted everything they can give to other people.
If you’re feeling like you’re nearing empty, why not spend your vacation leave giving to yourself for a change? Even the most generous people need to replenish, so don’t forget to consider indulging in some self-care on your paid time off.
Pamper yourself for an entire day and remind yourself that you are important. Once you feel that you’re “full” again, you’ll be ready to return to giving to others in the coming days.
5. Disconnect and shut everything off
Some people don’t take their vacation days as actual holidays as they can quickly become “work-ation” days. When you continuously work on your phone or check on your emails even as you take your paid time off, then you’re not truly going on vacation.
That said, don’t spend your paid vacation leaves trying to catch up on work you couldn’t finish during regular work hours. If you do this, you’ll only end up feeling more tired when you return to work.
Instead, take an actual break and turn off your phone. Schedule an email holiday and go at least six hours without holding any electronic device.
You’ll be surprised by all the things you fail to notice since you’re always on your phone and how this can make you more productive when you go back to work.
6. Travel to a new place
Whether it’s a park fifteen minutes away from your home or a zoo that can only be reached after four hours on the road, traveling to someplace new to you can be refreshing. It doesn’t even have to be related to nature. Just find an unfamiliar-yet-rejuvenating scenery where you can breathe and take a break from your usual routine.
Of course, this experience can be entirely different based on one factor: company.
You can bring along some friends or family on your trip and create beautiful memories together, or you can choose to go solo and relish your alone time someplace magical.
If you decide to have some company, you can make a stressful week lighter, thanks to people who make life brighter for you. If you choose to fly solo, the adventure will give you some of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
Ready to go on vacation?
The law mandates paid time offs for a reason: to allow employees to take a break from spending grueling hours at work without having to worry about salary deductions.
There are many ways to spend your vacation hours granted at work, so be sure to choose the activities that best suit your specific circumstances.
Author Bio
Mithu Agarwal is the Commercial Director at Seawings LLC, a trusted provider of commercial seaplane tours and charters in the UAE. The company offers aerial tours of the UAE, taking off from the Dubai Seaplane Terminal, Port Rashid and JA The Resort through which you can discover the thrill of travelling by a seaplane. Whisking passengers to 1500 feet, the route soars past the iconic city skylines, offering sublime views of the country’s architectural marvels.