For most people, taking a vacation is only a dream. With today’s busy lifestyle, hectic jobs and family obligations, who has the time (or money) to fly away to a tropical island, the mountains or a lush rain forest? It is estimated that in the United States, the average worker who is actually at a job that offers benefits, receives around eight days of vacation time per year.
However, a majority of these same individuals admit they use most of these days as sick days for themselves or their children or they take one day off here and there to get caught up on household chores.
It is quite unfortunate that Americans are working more than they ever have, yet relaxing and vacationing less. This all work and no play leads to stress, poor health, unfavorable eating habits, irregular sleep patterns and problems with spouse and family relationships.
Since people can’t spare the vacation days, expenses and hassle of planning a getaway, a breakation is now the word for the future decade!
What is a Breakation?
A breakation is a little longer than your average coffee break yet considerably shorter than a real vacation. This could be a few hours set aside for yourself once a week, a whole day or even an occasional weekend if you are really lucky but the important thing is, you do something just for you.
What would you like to do if no one called or needed anything from you? Perhaps breaking down and buying yourself a used motorcycle so you can hit the open road would be a great idea? Doesn’t a road trip with no worries and a lot of fresh air sound unbelievable?
Maybe your idea of a breakation is taking a drive to the closest slopes to go skiing or snowboarding for a few hours? Better yet, you could get yourself some heated motorcycle clothes, ride to the resort, rent equipment when you get there and then ride back home. That would be a whole adventure you can probably accomplish in 8 to 10 hours and you will sleep like a baby when you go to sleep!
The great thing about a breakation is that there are no rules! You can do whatever you want, even if that means flying a kite or driving two hours to a beach or park that you have never been to, just to lay under a tree and read a book.
Why You Need a Breakation
You need and deserve a breakation every week! It doesn’t always have to be a huge adventure but even a couple of hours can help bring balance to your life. You need time to relax your mind so your body can be healthy. If you constantly work and take care of daily responsibilities without any personal enjoyment, you increase your risk for health concerns and you probably find yourself snapping at little things you wouldn’t normally be bothered by.
You work hard to pay bills and take care of your family. When your friends need you, they know that you can be counted on no matter what.
Don’t you deserve a little balance in your life and time to focus on yourself?
Don’t you deserve a breakation?
About the Author
Mike Ellero is a motorcycle salesperson who takes the time to ride as often as he can to bring balance to his life which allows him to be more healthy, productive and successful. He sells motorcycles and heated motorcycle clothes so individuals can enjoy a breakation! On his website, you will find information about riding safety and motorcycle leather clothing.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds fun, although really challenging to do if you have kids. A break out with the kids does some good, but a break without is usually a rare treat when they’re young.
Stephanie @ Work at Home Business hopes you will read… How Do You Keep From Having All Your Eggs in One Basket With Your Home Business
Stephanie is right, a breakation is pretty hard when you have kids, because sometimes, much as you love them you need a breakation from them! My solution, like many women is a deep hot bath, or arranging flowers (I get a whole box full for a treat, or playing dungeons and dragons. Yes, it’s geeky but its fun, and it’s a way to get away, without getting away.
jane from faux floral arrangements hopes you will read… Ideas for Easter Arrangements
We’ve been doing this type of thing forever. We can’t “get away” for a vacation, but we can vacation from the day and just go downtown and walk around, visit our favorite bookstore for a few hours, or even just take the train downtown to have lunch. Just something different and fun.
Especially since the baby was born, since I work at home and have taken on Job #3 in order to make ends meet (no childcare makes it tough). So I work 7 days a week, 20 hrs (basically every waking moment) in addition to keeping house and taking care of the baby. After my third (?) meltdown, others finally realized maybe I *did* know what I was talking about when I said I needed a break!
Delena
Delena Silverfox hopes you will read… epc Belfast
I take regular breakations every week. We all need a break or else we`ll burn out. I`ve suffered from burn out before and am definitely not going down that road ever again. But I haven`t taken a real vacation in a very long time. I really want to though. that would be super fun.
Blessings,
Eren
Eren Mckay hopes you will read… Children’s & family entertainment – Mike da Mustang
This is a new word for me and to answer your question, I do, I really do need a breakation. When I say vacation my family would always think that I need to spend so much money and will spend less hours at work. (which means less pay)
Now, I know what to tell them. BREAKATION!!!
I used to have 30 days of vacation, excluding the public holidays and it still wasn’t enough! I quit my job to work at my internet business and now I have all the time I need. I am no longer tied to the office. Just to my laptop! But when you work for yourself, it’s whole different ball game.
Nahid hopes you will read… How to Profit from PLR Content
Wow! Lots of busy mums on here. Yes, taking a break when you have kids is tough, but if you can do it, your kids reap the benefits too. Must admit, I’m still longing for that long break on the beach with a cocktail and a good magazine!…
Poppy@Pregnancy Consumer Report hopes you will read… Plant Remedies Can Help
I do agree with this article as more and more workers are just working hard so that they can also pay for their private student loan faster. But even if people are busy, they should also give themselves a break so that they can breathe and relax from all the complexity of life.
Abin Clane hopes you will read… How Student Debt Can Limit Your Career Choices After College
To me a breakation is not only about going out, my way of taking a break from the routine and hectic life I lead is by switching off my phone, laptop -well basically cutting ties from the digital world- spend the whole day sleeping, having a hot bath and spend time cooking. Cooking is therapeutic, for those of you who do not know it
Daniel Black hopes you will read… Are You Keeping The Correct Tax Records
Breakation is kinda slick! I think I might use this term more often now.
I too, have kids and incorporating breakation with them is quite fun really! as opposed to putting them aside when you think that you need a break from them, because that won’t happen. To be honest, I thought of that at first but I soon realize that I have my children now and they needed me and I need them. Like all parents, we get our strength from them. I don’t LOVE them because I need them, I need them because I LOVE them.
So, the next time you’re planning on having a breakation tag them along, watch movies, go to the park, eat pizza together, and most of all ask them what they think of their life right now, you’ll be surprise of their answers
. Believe me, it’s pretty darn worth it.
Cheers!
Adam hopes you will read… How to Get Free Olive Garden Coupons
I am a huge proponent of the breakation. It’s just too easy to get burnt out if you don’t strike a good life balance. Success is one thing but success at the sake of your sanity just isn’t worth it.
I’m actually really lucky that my job allows for a couple really nice “life balance” perks. I get flextime once a week and one work from home day per month. It really helps me stay centered despite the massive amount of work on my plate!
I am also a fan of breakation. I give my self 2 times a month a few hours of. Then i am a little bit earlier home and can go do some nice things. Now that it is spring it is nice to go to the city and have a drink.
Dorine hopes you will read… Hoogtepunten van het HTC Sensation launch event
Giving some time to yourself is essential for anyone and as you said it helps to bring balance to your life. Another reason for having some breaks during the week is that this actually increase your productivity which means that you can do more things in less time…
Hi Derek,
I appreciate to your awesome work,i accept that i need and deserve a breakation every week! It doesn’t always have to be a huge adventure but even a couple of hours can help bring balance to our life,thanks.
When I said to my colleagues that I need a breakation everyone thought I pronounced vacation wrongly and I had to repeat it and explain to them what it means and where I got the word from. (from you Derek of course) I guess I set a new trend for my colleagues.
My life is one constant breakation.. Now all I need is some money to enjoy
Best Folding Knife hopes you will read… Kershaw Knives
Wow! Lots of busy mums on here. Yes, taking a break when you have kids is tough, but if you can do it, your kids reap the benefits too. Must admit, I’m still longing for that long break on the beach with a cocktail and a good magazine!…
A mid week Breakation is always a great idea. However, if you can’t find the time then take the Saturday as a Breakation. That way you still have the Sunday to relax and prepare for the week ahead, to be fresh and ready for the Monday morning.
If we moved to France, we’d have vacations again…or canada, or norway…
I love the concept of breakation. Many people dwell on not having enough vacation time, or can’t afford expensive vacations. This a great concept that I will be sharing with my clients’ employees during their healthscreening event.
I like the term – breakation. I couldn’t agree more with the things that you mentioned here in this post. For me, even if you take 2-3 weeks vacation a year is not living a balance life. It’s very important what you said here that breakations can be taken 2 hours a day to put you back to balance. If our goal is to become successful in life, I truly believe that taking breakations should be part of these goals. Otherwise, we’ll soon find ourselves very old and miserable, and probably have some regrets. The time is now!
I do my breakation once a week. Usually on weekends i have a few hours just for me. During this time noone disturbes me. This is so relaxing, doing just nothing important. When i can´t have my breakation i´m mad and not relaxed. So this is very important to me.
I am just browsing through the net when I came across this article that tells something about breakation. I really know what this really means and how can it help me in a way. Is this something like taking a break or something? Further information will be very much appreciated.
Carol@South Bay Californian houses hopes you will read… Hello world!
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