Leaving vacation days on the table has become a nation-wide tradition: 55% of the United States doesn't utilize their time off. However, taking a little break has shown to lead to more success in the workplace and in your daily life!
Still... we all struggle to squeeze in time to do the research, plan, and book a vacation. Here we'll show you how to make the most out of your year and take your ideal vacation from dream to actionable reality!
5 easy tips to go from desk to paradise:
1. Plan ahead
Make sure to hit the calendar as soon as possible in the year to identify possible 'block out' dates (such as when work loads are particularly heavy or when supervisors need you to be at your desk). Based on this, start eyeing out possible travel dates.
2. Be strategic about your vacation dates
A spin-off from that last point: Look for opportunities to multiply your time off by utilizing Holiday days intelligently. Turn 4 days off into a fully-fledged 10-night vacation!
HOW? Take advantage of days-off in the week (such as a Labor Day on a Monday) and add a few extra days (Tues-Fri)! This, in combination with attaching the inner and outer weekends will maximize your time off.
3. Fly smarter, not harder
Choose to take a red-eye flight. Catch that well-deserved sleep 35,000 feet up in the air! But don't forget to time it correctly to make sure you'll arrive an optimum time to your destination. For example choose flights that arrive at 7 or 8am instead of those that would arrive at 3 or 4am. This will ensure transportation will always be timely and safe.
4. Location, location, location!
Keep your flying or traveling radius to a minimum. Visiting places with a long plane ride or a dramatic time zone difference will only increase tiredness and result in loss of of precious vacation time.
5. Don't break the bank
The last thing you want to do is go over-budget and spend even more hours in the office trying to make-up for those extra bucks. Keep your destinations fun and simple and look for tour offers that bundle Transportation + Lodging + Activities for a lower cost and higher efficiency!
BONUS TIPS:
Save up on passport related costs by traveling domestically within the United States. You think it's boring? Think again? With your U.S passport you can visit tropical paradises such as Flamingo Beach (No. #5 rated beach in the USA) or El Yunque... all in PUERTO RICO!
Also, don't forget to pack you travel essentials, especially if you're going on an exciting adventure. The last thing you'll want to do is waste valuable time on a routine shopping spree to the nearest pharmacy because you forgot your sunblock.
