Two weeks off is a necessity

In our culture, we should make it a point that we must take two weeks off of work to travel.

In American society, we tend to drain ourselves for 51 weeks out of the year, buffered by a few sick days, and even less personal days. All in hopes of getting approved for a week away to rest and recooperate physically and/or mentally from the demands of a job that stresses the hell out of us.

I’m going to explain why this is bullshit and why taking two weeks off of work is a necessity.

Travel time

A traveler loses two days of vacation solely in transit time to and from their destination. Basic mathematics tell us this leaves 5 days to attempt to unwind, reconnect with ourselves, and forget our worries.

You can’t forget about work if your trip operates like it’s just another business week. Two weeks off can fix this.

Time to Unwind

People need time to decompress. Our mental, spiritual, and emotional baggage doesn’t just dissolve when we step off the plane. In fact one week is about the time it takes to START to relax.

I realized this when I told my boss I was planning a trip to Japan.

She looked at my request for a week off, laughed and said “If you fly that far I better not see you for two weeks.” I stood there dumbfounded for a moment, then asked for 2 and a 1/2 weeks off instead.

Why not?

Fortunately she agreed.

The point here is that I had just come from a typical corporate job where I lived the typical American life aforementioned and the idea of two and a half weeks away from home baffled me.

This is when I realized the need for time to unwind.

In the first week of travel, we worry. About anything and everything. On week two of vacation, we have forgotten about our coworkers who care too much about drama, the stress of the major deals and projects, the buzz of the damn refrigerator, the ticking fan in your bedroom, your neighbors yappy ass dog who hasn’t allowed you to get 6 straight hours of sleep in months, and anything else that could potentially turn somebody into Michael Douglass in Falling Down.

Some people aren’t the asshole they appear. They are stressed the hell out and need to get away.

Cost effective

Now I’m sure at this point, there is a fair share of doubt about how to afford a two week off of work when a week vacation is already so expensive. Read on.

The average vacation seems expensive and it shouldn’t be. Flights are usually the most costly thing in a week long vacation and sometimes you can find better deals to go for 10 days, two weeks, and even for a month.

Now our concern becomes lodging and accommodations. If this is not affordable, it’s probably that your tastes that are too expensive. It’s a room that hopefully will just hold your stuff while you leave to see and experience the world. Until you need sleep or shag that is.

As an example, I went to Luang Prabang, Laos in 2016. In this city there are cheap hostels and hotels that charge from $20-$180 and up. I stayed in a hotel for $20 to get out of hostels for a night of quiet rest, then spent the rest of the week back in a hostel for $5 a night. Choosing differently could have had a huge impact on my budget.

So let’s sum up the costs of my choice as well those of an inexpensive hotel and an expensive hotel.

My choice:
$20+($5×6)=$50/week (could have been $35)

Inexpensive hotel:
$20 x 7=$140/week

Expensive hotel:
$180 x 7= $1,260/week

Where you choose to rest your head can effect a lot. The budget for an expensive hotel for one week was $448 more expensive than my round trip flight for a month into Thailand and also covered the cost of my flight into Laos, my visa, lodging, and more while I was there.

Stretch your money for more experience. If you like fancy hotels, budget a night or 2 when needed. Would you rather travel longer and see more, or have a nice room for a few days?

Between American excess and allowing the company to run us, we are cheating ourselves out of some of the best parts of our lives. Travel longer, live more.