The Lifesaving Properties of ‘Me-Time’
Do you know the nickname the Center for Economic and Policy Research has given the U.S.? We are the “No-cation Nation”. This is because we’re the only wealthy nation without mandated paid vacation. Even Americans who do get paid vacation use it sparingly. One study found that more than half of full-time workers did not use all their time off. Another found that 55% of Americans felt stressed daily. Both studies were before the COVID-19 pandemic!
COVID has made our overworking situation worse. With more teleworking, the boundaries between work and home are even more blurred, making the idea of work-life balance seem nearly impossible. Healthcare providers must work longer hours to meet the extra demands of a pandemic. Higher education faculty and schoolteachers have added burdens from blending in-person and remote education. Others feel the pressures from work cultures that expect us to reinterpret remote work, including being almost constantly on call.
The personal toll of prioritizing work over health and wellbeing is high. A new study by the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization* says that working 55 or more hours a week is a “serious health hazard”. Overworking is now a matter of life and death, contributing to high rates of stroke and heart disease and low rates of life satisfaction. No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease. No job is worth your wellbeing.
How can you protect yourself and prioritize self-care when work expectations are so high?
TAKE your entitled time off — and make it high-quality self-care time! Don’t donate your hard-earned vacation days to your employer. Plan ahead and schedule time off intermittently throughout the year. Summer vacations are great, but periodic breaks during your busy season are an important strategy for preventing stress-related burnout.
Make it easy! Join me for an upcoming Women’s Wellbeing Retreat. All the planning for food, lodging, and fun activities will be done for you. Allow yourself to be nurtured within a community of supportive women, who will encourage you to unplug completely and bask in an environment of complete self-care.
Upcoming Retreats:
River Mountain in the Alleghany mountains of Pennsylvania, October 7-10, 2021. Save $100 with EarlyBird Discount until September 1.
Amorgos Island, Greece. May 12-18, 2022. Save $200 with EarlyBird Discount until October 1, 2021.