Take a vacation when you go on a holiday!

In many countries it is holiday time again. Long awaited and often a lot of time spent on finding the place where you want to go and stay this year. Maybe you stay at home because you do not even know that place well enough or you made the choice to just only get away from the routine of everyday life and work stress.

What about the maybe strange title of this week's blog? After all, when you go on a holiday, don't you take vacation? Well ... for me that is becoming less and less certain. The reason to choose that title.

I still remember the often hard discussions with the unions about the fees that, apart from special duty services, had to be paid not only for availability but also for the accessibility of staff members. It was still the time of alarm receivers, walky-talkies and pagers. After all, it wasn't all a totally voluntary choice just to be there for your employer. Not even if, for example, you worked at the fire department or ambulance service.

Whether or not they are still being paid for, it looks like nowadays everyone voluntarily has chosen to be accessible at all times. People can't live without this phenomenon anymore. Last week I even heard of neck complaints that people need to be treated for. Yes, your head still weighs around six kilograms (over thirteen pounds) and having that weight hanging down, pulling the strings, for an average of 16 hours a day is of course quite a challenge for those neck muscles.

And the strange thing is that when people go on vacation, they are no longer even aware of that continuous accessibility. In many cases, work therefore continues as normal (nevertheless check that e-mail every morning). Continue to follow social media, etc ..

Holiday time is there to come home with yourself and to relax. To empty your mind. To switch off from daily energy consuming activities. Getting to know new people and often also exploring the (or a new) environment. Spend time with your partner and/or family and friends. To marvel once again at the world around you that you have actually put on a not or less important place in your live for a long time. Tighten up ties with the people in your life that really matter. To experience what you came for and expected to see and feel.

As strange as it may sound, I think that more than 70% of the tourists I meet here in Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand could have stayed better at home. They do not enjoy all that beauty and beautiful nature surrounding us at all. They are constantly hanging around only on their cell phones and when I come across them on the road in minibuses or so-called Songthaews they are usually sleeping against each other. The beauty and energy of nature, the friendliness of the Thai people and the coziness of the city are hardly experienced.

I sometimes think they could have saved the time and money of their trip if they had really taken the time at home to delve into this environment. Enough YouTube videos that give you even a better feeling and sight than being here in a not connected and aware state.

How to ruin your holidays

Just ask yourself; How long could you live without your smartphone? What is an alcoholic? What? An alcoholic is someone addicted to alcohol. Yeah. Why is he/she addicted to alcohol? Because he cannot stop drinking it. But you can’t put your phone down. And if you do, within a few minutes you pick it up again. Because you are addicted to it. So, are you controlling that bit of technology in your hand? Or is that controlling you? That is controlling you!  Do you want your life controlled by a bit of technology? Do you want the rest of your life, even your holidays now, controlled by it? Or are you now going to: ‘I am putting this down!’. If technology is going to be the servant rather than the governor it has to serve the interest of humanity and humanity does not have to serve it. We are in a situation now where humanity is serving technology. And increasingly it is serving others to bring us into a different (by them) managed world. Step by step prepared by them so you are not even aware you are less and less in charge of your own life (so also holidays).

Time for vacation? That is emptying and recharging. Enjoy each other’s company again. Invest in your relationship (if you have one). Give yourself the gift to once again connect with, if you are honest with yourself, what you have neglected in the past few months. Give your mobile a holiday too (who knows, you might dare to take the challenge to leave it at home) and count on the respect of your friends, colleagues and work, that you now use your time private, for you. Hoping they have the understanding you will be there for them again in a fresh and even better way when you are back. Actually, the reason why you took that holiday isn’t it?

Don’t think the world (and your work) cannot miss you. Unfortunately, you are never and nowhere indispensable. Not even for your work. Yes, once I thought in a different way but I changed that after having this experience.  

And if, being a manager, you think that you should always and everywhere be accessible, because you are responsible aren’t you, then ask yourself what kind of manager you really are that you cannot even manage your own private life.

And back to that head again.

If you, instead of letting it drop to stay connected with your mobile, try to put it in the right position. Ever thought when your head is in balance (nearly looking straight forward) the muscles do not tense up (extension, out of tension) so this not cost you energy (I learned from yoga)?  It is a relaxation of the muscles although for a short while, because you are not used to it anymore it does not feel this way.

The great thing of bringing your head in balance again is that immediately a completely ‘different’ world in which you live will reveal itself to you. Look around, be aware again. This was where you paid for and what you wanted to see and feel.

Now time for yourself and time for each other. Respect to yourself and your love ones.

Time to enjoy the expedition that is called holidays you have been looking forward to.

Enjoy so much more!

Happy Holidays.


Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)

email: captijninsight@gmail.com 
Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.