1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to enjoy 5 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: your remaining vacation days. If you find yourself with unused 6 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: vacation or p t O days for twenty twenty that 7 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: you can't roll over into one, well, decide on a 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: way to make the most of them. Perhaps you may 9 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: have been conserving those days for a big trip to 10 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: New Zealand, or to drive cross country with your daughter 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: to get her settled in at college. But twenty was, 12 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: sadly probably not the year to go to New Zealand, 13 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: and your daughter may have started college remotely from your basement. 14 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: We've had a lot of disappointments. But even though your 15 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: special trips are off the table for now, if you 16 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: have vacation days that are use or lose before the 17 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: end of the year, please use them. Even if you 18 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: can't carry forward days, you don't have to hoard them. 19 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: Consider taking a few vacation days sooner rather than later. 20 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: There is still fun to be had. Here are some 21 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: ideas for making the most of your time off this year, 22 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,559 Speaker 1: you could use a day or two to get ready 23 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,960 Speaker 1: for the holidays by decorating your house, shopping for gifts, 24 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: planning a menu, or cooking. If you enjoy getting ready 25 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: for the holidays and want to savor those experiences instead 26 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: of working your way through them as efficiently as possible, 27 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: taking vacation days for holiday prep could be really satisfying. 28 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: You could also take a vacation day for holiday fun. 29 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: Declare a day gingerbread construction day and spend as long 30 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: as you want building an elaborate gingerbread house with your family, 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:57,919 Speaker 1: or go to a holiday event at a local museum 32 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: on a weekday to avoid the crowds. If just thinking 33 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: about the holidays makes you exhausted, you could devote a 34 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: vacation day to relaxing, sleeping in, having a massage, sitting 35 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: outside and reading, going for a long walk, whatever will 36 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: let you rest up. And while the trip to New 37 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: Zealand is probably a no go, travels closer to home 38 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: may be feasible. Perhaps you could rent a cabin at 39 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: a nearby state park and spend a long weekend with 40 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: your family hiking, snowshoeing, and sitting by a campfire, or 41 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: you and an old friend who lives in another city 42 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: could meet up at a halfway point between you and 43 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: spend the day looking at holiday decorations, shopping, sight seeing, 44 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: or just catching up. You may even decide to hop 45 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: on a plane or pack up the car for travels 46 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 1: further afield. Don't assume you can't leave town. Instead, think 47 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: through your options and evaluate your risk. You may be 48 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,399 Speaker 1: able to travel this year, after all, regardless of whether 49 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: you leave town, it's a good idea to take time off. 50 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: Employ Us provide vacation days that employees can lead full 51 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,399 Speaker 1: lives that have time for the fun, rest and life 52 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: maintenance that sometimes get pushed off, So make the most 53 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: of the opportunity. As is often noted, plenty of people 54 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: who leave their jobs because of burnout have unused vacation days. 55 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: No one wins when that happens. Take the vacation days 56 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: and avoid the burnout. Taking time off is just as 57 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 1: important if you work for yourself. Being fully unplugged can 58 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: be hard, but you can still schedule days off even 59 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: if you are not going out of town. Block a 60 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: day or two on your calendar, set up your out 61 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: of office message, use the days in a way that 62 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: will leave you feeling good for the holidays and the 63 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: year ahead. Has been a hard year, so it makes 64 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: sense to use all our tools, including vacation days, to 65 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: add joy and meaning to our lives and alleviate stress. 66 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: Even if you're not going out of town or even 67 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: out of your house, you can make good memories that 68 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: will help give you a more nuanced picture of the year. 69 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: It hasn't been all bad, just like life in the meantime. 70 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 1: This is Laura, thanks for listening, and here's the succeeding 71 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: in the New Corner Office. The New Corner Office is 72 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,239 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts, visit 73 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 74 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: get your favorite shows.