Help! Should I Hoard My Vacation Hours?

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Dear OOO,

I’m not able to journey but. And it appears foolish to make use of my hard-earned trip time when I’m simply sitting at dwelling. I may simply hold working whereas saving my free days for a blowout journey later this yr. But I’m drained, and I actually really feel like I want a break. What ought to I do?

–Portland, Oregon

This is the simplest query I’ve ever answered: USE YOUR DAMN VACATION TIME. USE IT NOW.

Do you actually need extra convincing? [Dramatic sigh] OK, let’s do that.

Being in Tokyo or Santorini or wherever that blowout future journey takes you sounds dreamy. It’s been so lengthy that I truthfully can not summon the sensation—considered one of my favourite emotions on the planet—of sitting in a distinct nation, listening to a language I don’t communicate whereas consuming one thing scrumptious and gazing buildings and timber very completely different from what I’m used to. So I absolutely perceive the temptation to not “waste” days on one thing much less thrilling.

And it’s powerful guilty you for not feeling able to journey, even when you’re absolutely vaccinated. Many international locations have but to reopen their borders to Americans, and the ethics of non-essential journey to locations which may have strapped well being care techniques and decrease vaccination charges are complicated. For the primary time in a yr and a half, I’m flying in a few weeks to see a sick member of the family who lives throughout the nation, however I’m with you on wanting to attend longer to fly internationally for an elective trip.

And but! This yr has been all however insufferable even for the luckiest of us, and dealing nonstop goes to destroy you if it hasn’t already. You’ve received to take a while, even when it means sacrificing a extra enjoyable journey later. You don’t want a break since you’re weak, you want a break since you’re a human residing by way of a dystopian time in historical past.

Because your query signifies concern in your fellow people, I’m going to imagine you’re both absolutely vaccinated or will likely be quickly. (If you’re not, what are you ready for?) I can not determine your private threat tolerance for you, however when you’ve taken your shot(s) and waited two weeks, may I recommend that you’ve got a couple of extra choices than sitting at dwelling? Can you hire a cabin within the woods or go tenting? Can you are taking a staycation and spend hours day-after-day strolling round Portland, a improbable metropolis with unimaginable meals vehicles the place you possibly can order whereas sporting a masks after which discover an remoted spot to take a seat? Can you house-swap with a pal who lives inside driving distance, simply to shake it up? Even if none of these issues feels doable or interesting, there should be methods you possibly can combine up your own home routine—fancy supply meals! sheet masks! novels you’ve been laying aside!—so the times don’t all really feel the identical. Spending time outdoors, whether or not masked or not, has been key to my sanity lately; 10/10, extremely suggest.

Vacation time can really feel like a treasured useful resource that should be hoarded for the one excellent journey, however I’d encourage you to think about it extra as gas in your tank—it is advisable replenish each now and again to have the ability to hold going. Maybe which means you received’t have sufficient free days for a blowout journey this yr, however you additionally received’t burn out this yr, which is an accomplishment. So please take a while, whether or not you possibly can escape your own home or not. Send me a postcard from the yard.

Dear OOO,

I get work messages coming at me from so many instructions: Slack, e mail, Google Docs, Signal, textual content. I by no means know the place to look first! Is there any option to cease the insanity, or no less than arrange a hierarchy so we are able to all get on board with the Message Urgency Stages of Importance?



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