When Was the Last Time You Took a Summer Vacation?

Hello August! What a fun, fast summer this has been…

The RD team recently returned from our well-deserved vacations. We’re all happy to report feeling grateful and recharged!

It was important for us to all find time to reconnect with ourselves, loved ones and nature — while also recognizing everything we accomplished in these past 17 crazy months of non-stop hard work during the pandemic. With our well-planned vacation strategy that staggered everyone’s trips, we were able to rotate time off; thus ensuring our amazing clients were well supported throughout!

“Several studies indicate that performance nose-dives when we work for extended periods without a break. In addition, the benefits of taking a vacation are clear: It results in improved productivity, lower stress and better overall mental health.” Harvard Business Review

When Was Your Last Vacation?

Read more to see how each of us chose to spend our precious time off…and learn tips for successfully returning to work with minimal stress!

Nate’s Vacation…

Nate went to Mexico with his beautiful wife to celebrate her birthday (happy birthday, TeAsia) and take some time lounging on the beach. Here’s what he had to say about his vacation.

“This trip was very special for me. My wife and I did not take an official honeymoon yet, so spending 5 days appreciating each other alone was an incredible gift. We each needed time to unplug and recharge, and there is no one in the world I’d rather relax with than Te’Asia!”

Hannah’s Vacation…

Hannah pursued the shores of sunny Florida with her partner, Alex, while making friends with happy dolphins!

“Alex and I had a beautiful, relaxing first vacation together in Florida! We stayed in Ft. Myers Beach and Pompano Beach, enjoying fresh seafood, our toes in the sand, and lots of laughs!”

Ynez’s Vacation…

Ynez hiked with her nature-loving family to the top of Devil’s Lake Canyon and strolled through delicate fields of lavender.

“We had so many fun adventures in Wisconsin; swimming, hiking, and eating at local restaurants. It was an absolute joy to go hang out in the great outdoors with my family again!”

You may be wondering…

How did you plan your return to work? Were you stressed about coming back to a huge to-do list?

We’d be lying if we didn’t say we weren’t a little afraid to take time off and step away from everything! However, as a team, we planned everything ahead of time together so that we all knew what each other needed to cover during our time away, and what would be expected of each of us when we returned. After all, life is too short for all work and no play!

Did you know that taking vacation time is good for your overall well-being?

Who knew that a little beach lounging and horseback riding is just what the doctor ordered! While vacations can be fun and exciting, they also do wonders for your mental and physical health.

Forbes recently shared: “Taking vacation time is essential to employee survival. That’s because time off from work is integral to well-being, sustained productivity and high performance. A study released by the American Psychological Association concluded that time off helps to reduce stress by removing people from the activities and environments that they associate with anxiety. Are you thinking of heading to the beach or going camping this summer? Another scientific report highlights that spending at least 120 minutes a week in natural environments (such as parks, woodlands and beaches) is associated with good health and well-being.”

Are you feeling inspired by our trips? Take a look at your calendar to see if you can swing a little time off for yourself and your family. Trust us…you will be SO glad you did! Odds are, after the past year and a half we’ve all faced, your mental, emotional, and physical health could probably all use a refresh!

Do you plan on taking a vacation soon? Be prepared for a successful return to work with our helpful tips…

• Ease back into the thick of things: Don’t let the peace and serenity you collected on your time off disappear when returning to work. Pace yourself, certain project timelines may need to be pushed a little and that’s OK!
• Bring small souvenirs from the trip back to work: Catching quick glimpses of tiny seashells you collected with your kids can help calm your spirit and make you smile during a hectic workday.
• Share your experience with others: Reminiscing about your trip is a great mood boost! Also, encourage others at your workplace to seek new adventures and create happy memories as well.
• Ask for help: Sometimes, the best way to transition back into work is with the help of our teammates. This can reduce the anxiety of taking on X amount of days off workload.
• Stay organized before and after the trip: If you keep your work well organized, it will decrease the opportunity for miscommunication and mistakes. Do your best to make sure everyone is on the same page!

The incredible joy and inner peace our team returned with made it very clear that taking individual time off was the right choice. We highly recommend everyone reading this to reflect on what you may need to do for yourself to continue being a successful member of your work environment and showing up as your best self in all areas of life.

We hope that you’ve been enjoying your summer! Feeling inspired by our vacations? Everyone needs time off to unplug and recharge…just like our phones.

💬 Did you take a trip recently? We’d love to hear about it!

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