“Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets” ~Oscar Wilde
It’s no secret that lawyers work hard. Too hard sometimes. The statistics for attorney well being are staggering: we are more likely than nearly every other profession to burnout, abuse alcohol or narcotics, fall into depression, and suffer from debilitating overwhelm.
There are many reasons for this sad state of affairs, but one of the biggest ones (at least in my opinion) is that attorneys routinely FAIL at taking vacation.
I’m happy to say that I have always excelled in the arena of taking time off to relax and play. It’s one of the pleasant side effects of my decades long yoga and meditation practice: I value self care above everything else.
Vacation is super-sized self care. And it works. Every time I take vacation, I come back feeling refreshed and renewed, with my mind cleared of anxiety cobwebs and ready to tackle new legal challenges.
I happen to love traveling, so I often combine vacation and adventure.
This winter, I went to Colombia, one of my favorite countries in the world. Scroll down to see some of the pictures I took (I’m working on a new photography hobby, too).
If you struggle with taking vacation, then I challenge you to set a boundary between your work and the rest of your life. Plan your vacation now. And take it.
