As summer nears, many of us are planning our yearly vacation. But, increasingly, Americans are finding vacations to be more trouble than treat. Why?
Work, of course, is a big factor in our changing attitudes toward vacations. Recent studies have found that nearly half of Americans no longer use all of their paid vacation time, with a third of them saying they had too much work to go away. This trend adds up to $21 billion in unused vacation time a year.
Employers may seem to benefit from this trend but, in fact, many are recognizing that stressed-out workers going years without a significant break are in fact detrimental to performance. Some corporations are now mandating that employees take the vacation time coming to them and encourage their staff not to check email and stay in touch while away.
Aside from work, though, travel is simply not as much fun as it once was with downgraded service from airlines and increased security measures. The very act of packing a bag and carefully scrutinizing toiletries for their potential to set off alarms changes the equation between pleasure and punishment.
I plead guilty for feeling that travel has become such a hassle that it is sometimes more fun to stay at home and relax. The trouble with this mindset is that it gets me into a rut. If I don't experience other cultures, I tend to become narrow-minded. In an age where the world's cultures are literally at war, it is a healthy thing for me to be reminded that not all people share my worldview or my daily way of life.
Ultimately, it is only by contrast that I can learn and grow. Just as an exercise routine becomes less effective when repeated without variation, my daily life becomes less spiritually enriching if I don't have new experiences. This does not mean that a trip to Europe, for example, will convince me that I want to live there. Conversely, I need not spend the entire trip griping that I prefer American culture. Instead, simply stepping out of my comfort zone reminds me of what I appreciate about my everyday life while suggesting areas where I might change.
Having just returned from a vacation, I look forward, over the next few posts, to sharing with you some of my insights. And I would welcome hearing about your summer vacation plans.
The Principles
by Patrick Moore
Available now on Lulu.com, Amazon.Com, and BarnesandNoble.com.
Work, of course, is a big factor in our changing attitudes toward vacations. Recent studies have found that nearly half of Americans no longer use all of their paid vacation time, with a third of them saying they had too much work to go away. This trend adds up to $21 billion in unused vacation time a year.
Employers may seem to benefit from this trend but, in fact, many are recognizing that stressed-out workers going years without a significant break are in fact detrimental to performance. Some corporations are now mandating that employees take the vacation time coming to them and encourage their staff not to check email and stay in touch while away.
Aside from work, though, travel is simply not as much fun as it once was with downgraded service from airlines and increased security measures. The very act of packing a bag and carefully scrutinizing toiletries for their potential to set off alarms changes the equation between pleasure and punishment.
I plead guilty for feeling that travel has become such a hassle that it is sometimes more fun to stay at home and relax. The trouble with this mindset is that it gets me into a rut. If I don't experience other cultures, I tend to become narrow-minded. In an age where the world's cultures are literally at war, it is a healthy thing for me to be reminded that not all people share my worldview or my daily way of life.
Ultimately, it is only by contrast that I can learn and grow. Just as an exercise routine becomes less effective when repeated without variation, my daily life becomes less spiritually enriching if I don't have new experiences. This does not mean that a trip to Europe, for example, will convince me that I want to live there. Conversely, I need not spend the entire trip griping that I prefer American culture. Instead, simply stepping out of my comfort zone reminds me of what I appreciate about my everyday life while suggesting areas where I might change.
Having just returned from a vacation, I look forward, over the next few posts, to sharing with you some of my insights. And I would welcome hearing about your summer vacation plans.
The Principles
by Patrick Moore
Available now on Lulu.com, Amazon.Com, and BarnesandNoble.com.
2007 Patrick Moore
. All Rights Reserved.
