Stil jete

Take a day off after the holidays!

Take a day off after the holidays!

Your sanity will thank you later for it.

The way I travel in my 30s is very different from the way I traveled in my 20s.

Living in Phoenix right out of college, I often took red-eye flights home to Ohio. I came back on Sunday and on Monday I was at work. Without stopping. Sometimes I even went from the airport to work directly.

That kind of weekend trip didn't survive past my 20s. I was tired of not having enough time to recover between work and travel. When the pandemic shut us down in March 2020 and travel stopped, like many others, I found myself spending most of my time alone, which allowed me to assess the situation. When the journey resumed, I vowed to approach it differently.

I added the day off after the holidays to the list.

I now make it a priority to schedule an extra day off between when I come home from vacation and back to work. Because let's face it: While travel is a joy (and a luxury), it can be exhausting.

I use this day to unpack, do laundry, run errands and take a bath. Then I spend the rest of the day recovering. Even on a relaxing vacation, being out of your comfort zone for several days and among so many people can wear you down.

Of course, it may not always be possible, but whenever possible, you should take time off after the holidays.