Have you taken a vacation recently or are you infected by the pandemic of work? As jobs become difficult to find and keep, people are also becoming increasingly concerned about their income, investing long hours at work at the cost of other important aspects of their lives.

If you too have relegated vacations down your list of priorities, it is time to recognise that it is as important as good food and exercise.

Stress

When you are loaded with multiple pressures at work, your body reacts with the survival response of fight or flight. Sustained challenges lead to constant stress, which does not go away even when you go home. Being stressed prevents you from thinking straight and impedes your analysis and actions at work. When you take a vacation, you immediately reduce the stress in your life and give yourself the space and time to get back to work with a clear mind.

Health

Life is short. Don’t make it shorter by avoiding vacations. Reports say people who do not take vacations have a 21% higher risk of death from all causes. If you sit for long hours oand have poor eating habits, coupled with low sleep and high stress levels, hypertension is a given. Consider vacations as an enjoyable way to invest in your good health.

Productivity

Studies agree that if you don’t take vacations, your productivity suffers. Long periods of work without break lead to irritability, poor decision making, poor communication and relationships and more days off due to ill health. When you go on vacation, you reverse all that and come back with greater focus, an optimistic mindset and productivity soars.

Biggest investment

The primary resource for creating wealth in your life is you. Think of vacations as an investment to increase the size and value of that asset. A vacation is an opportunity to expand your horizons by travelling to new places, signing up for new experiences and creating memories that sustain you. As a bonus, you meet interesting and extraordinary people and create relationships that enhance either your personal or professional life.

New vistas

On vacation, you are exposed to new environments, different human behaviours, cultures and diverse ways of doing business. You learn there is no single way to either deal with life or work. What matters is how many different tools and perspectives you have at your disposal to navigate responsibilities and challenges. Vacations serve as unstructured education for you where you absorb and imbibe fresh perspectives.

Family time

While working, you tend to compromise on your relationships, especially within your family. As work deadlines take priority you miss out on family gatherings and regular bonding opportunities. You cannot compensate for lost time and opportunities by waiting for retirement. Make up for lack of quantity by increasing quality and intensity when you take time off. Vacations are your ideal investment as travelling together is the best way to build relationships.

Lose on promotion?

Are you afraid you are in a hyper-competitive environment and taking vacations may lose you the next promotion to your colleague who never takes a day off? Or are you worried that you will get laid off simply because you availed of some authorised leave? Studies say there is no evidence to show that people who are promoted took no vacations. On the contrary, people who rise fast usually have balanced lives.

Learning and creativity

Science says that the human mind maximises learning in resting hours. Hence all education is structured with adequate breaks. The way your brain functions is that you absorb and record information through your working day. Then, to use that information effectively your brain needs time off to process it, make meaningful connections with other learnings that you have and throw up creative ideas from these connections.

To consolidate your regular learning, get adequate sleep every single night to let your brain recover and build new connections. To get creative and find new solutions, free up your brain’s resources from the daily grind of survival and workplace challenges. Like most successful people, you will find that your best insights and most creative ideas emerge from your sub-conscious when you are on vacation.

Something to look forward to

Finally, if your job and personal challenges drain you daily, then your planned vacation becomes your beacon of hope and happiness in the days leading to the trip. As you plan and prepare for something that you look forward to, the daily effort gets easier and seems worthwhile since it is paying for your vacation. If you are smart, while on vacation you will commit to your next vacation giving yourself the energy and enthusiasm for the work that will get you there!

HOW TO TAKE A VACATION

More and shorter

Many short vacations do more for you than one long one. Instead of taking three weeks off together, imagine a week off including two weekends every four months. What about 15 weeks in a year when you take a Friday off to travel three days? This means minimum impact on work and maximum help to you!

5 day to-do list

Are you always swamped with critical work at the last minute just before you head to the airport for your vacation? Most of us fail to plan for a vacation. Make a week’s pre-vacation to-do list including tasks to be handed over, communication with people and finish off urgencies a day prior to your holiday.

Empower apprentices

If you are a manager, start training your best team member as your understudy to take decisions on your behalf. Before your vacation, empower her with authority and define expectations and deadlines. Put her name and contact on your auto-responder email and if it works well, you can auto-forward all your email to her.

Joint plan

Always discuss your absence with your manager, colleagues and clients. Share your plan about who will take care of urgencies, communication and deliverables. Get everyone’s buy-in and inputs so they don’t disturb you for mundane issues. For emergencies, let them know how they can reach you.

Don’t do it all

While you are trying to control the impact of your vacation at office, relinquish control of executing the vacation to co-travellers. Don’t try to do everything yourself. Once dates are finalised, outsource the thinking and planning to others including travel itinerary if any, activities, budget and ticketing.

Planning a kid-friendly itinerary, especially for international travel might seem scary and daunting at first, but it’s a lot of fun once you take the first step towards it. While you can travel to any country with your kids, there are some countries that are especially kid-friendly due to the amenities they offer.

Amenities such as kids’ clubs, kid-friendly attractions, a wide variety of food for fussy eaters, and stroller-friendly walkways are some of the things which make a country seem more attractive for kids than others.

This summer vacation, surprise your kids with an international trip to these countries and see their happiness radiate!

Singapore – With loads of fun activities and vibrant places to visit, Singapore is an ideal travel destination for kids. It is extremely safe, public transport such as cabs and buses are affordable, and it offers many child-friendly attractions such as the Singapore Zoo, Sentosa Island, and Changi Jurassic Mile.

Lapland – Located in Finland, it is also known as the land of Magical Natural Phenomena, or Santa Claus’s hometown (yes, you heard us right!). It looks literally like a land out of a fairy tale! Kids can meet the ‘real’ Santa Claus, play in snow-laden forests, and even feed baby reindeers. It also offers plenty of options for parents to enjoy – watch the Northern Lights, Midnight Sun, and stay in an igloo among others.

Bali – One of the most popular tourist destinations, Bali is famous for its beaches, temples, and the wide variety of sports it offers. To have a relaxing vacation, choose a hotel with kids’ clubs and a wide range of food options. Take your kids to the Bali Zoo, Waterbom Waterpark, Ubud Monkey Forest, and soak in the flora and fauna.

Australia - Australia’s diverse cities and natural landscapes have something for everyone – from young adventurers and teen beach-seekers to culture-craving grown-ups and foodies of all ages. Visit the Grampians if you want a taste of adventure, roam around Sydney and go to National Dinosaur Museum, explore the Gold Coast, go snorkeling at The Great Barrier Reef, and see kangaroos and koala bears.

Essential things to remember while planning an international trip

Keep this checklist handy while planning your international trip:

Research, research, and research – It is important to plan everything to avoid last-minute hiccups, including the weather of the country you want to visit, the political climate, attractions, adventure activities, entry fees, the transport cost, the accommodation to the eateries, the laws to the safety regulations, and the culture to the locals.

Keep your travel-related documents in one place – These include a passport, visa, international driving license, travel maps, flight tickets, travel insurance, and medical prescriptions, if any.

Check-in with the Indian Embassy and register yourself – To be safe in a foreign land while far from home should be one of the most important things on your checklist. As soon as you land, get yourself registered at the Indian Embassy to ensure your safety, especially in case of an emergency.Pack all your essentials – These are the items that you require on a day-to-day basis such as mobile chargers, USB cables, electronic gadgets, power banks, and first-aid kit among others.

If you are planning a winter holiday in a cold country or a serene mountainous area, here are a few things you need to remember while packing.

Winter is coming and it is time to get your warm clothes and pretty woollens out. The best way to enjoy the winters is going for a trip up the hills or to a cold destination. However, you need to pack a few essentials to tackle everything from illnesses to harsh weather.

Choose The Right Shoes

A pair of sneakers or sandals would suffice if you travel during the summers. But when winter hits, make sure to pack some shoes which are ideal for the snow. Comfortable and warm boots that have a steady grip on the bottom are helpful to prevent slipping or falling in the ice.

Trekking in the snow can be dangerous if you do not have proper footwear on. The boots should be able to handle walking on ice and snow.

Layer Up

Packing several layers of warm and indoor-friendly clothing is important to beat the cold weather. On one hand, you could feel cold outside, but coming indoors with warm sweaters could prove to be uncomfortable.

Several items such as a t-shirt, a sweater, a light-weight jacket and a thick winter coat should be packed alongside mittens, warm caps and scarves.

When you layer your clothing, it is easy to adjust to different temperatures.

Winter Toiletries

The cold wind can be drying for the skin, so make sure you pack a moisturising lotion and hand cream to prevent dryness.

Another item which is essential for a winter holiday is a lip balm with SPF. This balm will help in keeping your lips hydrated, free from chapping, and protected from the sun.

Moreover, one might think that carrying sunscreen is only meant for summertime travel, but sun reflects off the snow, which can easily cause extreme sunburn without SPF protection.

Emergency Medical Kit

Carrying an emergency medical kit is the wisest thing to add to your packing list.

Keep a band-aid, anti-fungal cream, pain relieving spray, cough and cold syrup, over-the-counter antibiotics and other flu medicines as the sudden change in temperature may not be suitable. Menstruation pads are also a travel must-have.

Light Backpack

A snug and light bag which can fit all your essentials while you’re trekking, going on a ski trip, or travelling from one place to another during your holiday, is important for your trip as you will leave your suitcase in the resort or hotel you’ve booked.

Bags with multiple compartments can keep things neatly organised.

Thermostat Flask

A thermostat flask which keeps liquids warm is an indispensable part of your packing list. While on the move, finding water in nearby shops might not be easy in hilly regions, so carrying a flask which keeps water warm is essential. Moreover, warm water, tea or coffee in this flask will give you a quick relief from the cold.

Dubai Airports shared ways in which travel can be made easier

Dubai: If you are a Person of Detrmination, or have someone in the family who is, you would be happy to know that travelling through Dubai International Airport (DXB) does not have to be a stressful experience.

Dubai Airports – Terminal 1, 2, and 3 – have dedicated services that make it easy for People of Determination to navigate the check-in, immigration and boarding procedures. Here is how you can plan your journey:

1. When booking your flight, request a DPNA code for assistance.

The Disabled Passenger with Intellectual or Developmental Disability Needing Assistance (DPNA) code informs the flight that you may require assistance during your trip. You can request for the code when booking your flight, either in person, via telephone or via a travel agent.

2. Make use of complimentary parking for up to two hours at any terminal.

Dubai Airports advises passengers to ensure they arrive three hours before departure for international flights. You need to be at your gate 45 minutes before take-off.

If you are travelling to the airport by car, People of Determination get complimentary parking for two hours at all terminals.

If you are travelling to the airport by taxi, you can book a special taxi for People of Determination through the DTC (Dubai Taxi Corporation) App or through their toll-free number: 80088088. Taxi drivers are trained and certified to deal with visual and physical impairments.

3. Pick up a sunflower lanyard from dedicated collection points across DXB.

The Sunflower lanyard is a discrete identifier worn by passengers with hidden disabilities throughout the airport so that staff can identify them. Wearing the lanyard will help staff at the airport identify that you may need additional support.

Only one lanyard is required per group, and anyone in the group can wear the lanyard to indicate that someone in the group has a hidden disability.

How can you get a sunflower lanyard?
You need to look for the Sunflower sign at the information desk near entrance no. 2 in Terminal 3 and at dedicated collection points in Terminals 1 and 2.

You can also ask for assistance from staff members wearing sunflower pins, these staff members are trained to assist travellers with hidden disabilities. Make sure that you keep your lanyard after your journey, as it is reusable across other airports.

What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower?
Wearing the Sunflower discreetly indicates to people around the wearer including staff, colleagues and health professionals that they need additional support, help or a little more time.

Over 200 airports across the world either already recognise the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and provide assistance to passengers accordingly, or are planning to implement the system soon.

4. Head to priority check-in lanes for faster passport control, security check and boarding.

The Assisted Passenger Services desk is the priority check-in desk for all People of Determination passengers in Terminal 3.

In Terminals 1 and 2, you will be prioritised for check- in if you are wearing the Sunflower lanyard, based on the airline’s process.

5. Take a buggy ride to get around easily.

While you can take the elevator, escalator or moving walkway to make your way to the airplane, you will be given priority for a buggy ride or for a wheelchair if you have your sunflower lanyard on.

Look for dedicated seats marked for People of Determination while waiting at your gate.

As the waiting area can be busy, special seats have been allocated for People of Determination, marked with the People of Determination logo.