Four essentials for successful holidays

Reading time: 2 minutes

Posted by Vincent Maria Klein on July 8th at 7:20pm

Holidays are a highlight every year. We plan it into our schedules. We prepare towards it and the closer it gets the more the expectation rises.

Then we experience something that is quite often not even close to our dream of a perfect time out.

Sure, it happens that on occasion we have a vacation that succeeds our expectations. Despite that I can see a big difference most of the time. A difference between the holiday that I imagine in my head beforehand and the one I finally experience.

Has this ever happened to you?

Over the last few years while being on different vacations I tried to do and not to do different things. Now I can say that there´s a variety of habits that contribute to a successful time out.

Those work regardless of location, weather, type of accommodation or company.

1. Enough time for myself

Something I often neglect the most. What I need weekly, even daily during my every day life, I tend to through completely over board while on holiday.

Going for a walk just by myself, reading, watching Netflix.

Holiday experience 2017: It may be the case that you need to verbalize your need to be for yourself. Even to plan it. Yes, planning may be necessary even when on holidays.

My wife Esther is pregnant with our third child. At the moment she´s far away from feeling good. I wanted to be for myself for a couple of hours. So we choose a day when her family came to visit us at our holiday home to support her with the kids.

My own fault was that I didn´t want to miss the visit of her wonderful family and choose not to leave that afternoon. You can´t have it all.

2. Keep up the connection with God

„Have holidays with God, not from God." Juergen Eisen

Since I heard this statement in a sermon I´ve never forgotten it. A real challenge.

You always say to yourself you have plenty of time while being on vacation. Then you experience the opposite: Sleeping in, taking it easy and then spending only a couple of minutes praying and reading the Bible. Or not doing it at all.

Holiday experience 2017: Although being on holiday it helps to have a routine. This time I tried to have my devotion while our kids had their afternoon naps.

3. A minimum of exercise

They say „A rolling stone gathers no moss.“ and that´s somehow true.

It´s not about turning your vacation into an active travel. It´s not necessary to prepare a training schedule. Unless you´re eager to reach some really high goals.

Nevertheless, those days I spent in bed, on the sofa, at the fridge and again in bed, have rarely been the best vacation days.

It can be enough just to discover something while going for a walk or riding your bicycle. Just spending a certain amount of hours on your feet can be a help. When I lay in bed for too long I get backache.

Holiday experience 2017: As of late I can take both of my daughters can join me in a buggy while I go for a run. That´s what I did a couple of times. A wonderful experience for them as well to see a bit of nature in the morning and breathe in fresh air.

Maybe at this point your´re showing me the bird. Running while being on holiday. - Never ever!

It works for me. Just as the saying goes „Sow energy and reap energy!“.

4. Don´t put your brain on pause

They say if you´re not reading or doing anything similar to that to use your mind for two weeks, the functioning of your brain decreases up to 20 %. One fifth in just 14 days. Puh!

I´m not saying you should start studying big times. Vacation isn´t work. It´s time to relax. I find reading books that you enjoy reading without having to work through them at the same time very helpful.

Holiday experience 2017: This summer I once again read a biography. A great mixture of education and entertainment.

How do you like to spend your time off? What makes a successful holiday for you?

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