Vacation

Day after tomorrow, I leave for three weeks vacation. My wife, my young son & I are heading to Serbia, my wife’s homeland. This got me thinking about the psychological costs and benefits of vacation. For me, like for a lot of psychologists, taking a fairly lengthy vacation inevitably elicits some guilt: “Can I really leave my clients for that long? Will the kids I work with be ok?” Well, the answer is yes: it is ok to leave one’s clients for that long; they will be ok. And beyond that – while this may be a cliché – you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Vacation. Travel. Time with my family. These to me are essential sustenance. They are enormous parts of what makes me who I am. Two years ago, I faced the decision of how much time to take off of work to be with my wife and my newborn son. I am filled with joy and pride that I chose to take seven weeks off to be with them. It was a decision I will never regret. I often joke that one of the great perks of being a psychologist in private practice is unlimited vacation time. Well, it’s unlimited unpaid vacation time but still…

So how does this apply to those of you reading this blog, those of you who are not psychologists? Well, next time you are faced with the choice of a vacation or working on that vital project, or building your resume, or doing yet more overtime, choose the vacation. It may not directly further your career, but it will strengthen your soul and lengthen your life. That’s this psychologist’s advice.