Hibernation is a good thing. We all need time to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. All of nature does this once a year; it's called winter. More than just bears hibernate. The list of hibernating animals is quite long. The groundhog even got its own holiday for its hibernation antics. If they don't go into full hibernation mode, they do slow down. The animals stay near their prime hunting or gathering areas and rest up. So why don’t humans? Why do we feel the need to keep running full out all the time? You’re not missing anything.
There is nothing wrong with us as humans putting the running down and snoozing (as it were) for a few months. We are, after all, part of nature. The holidays are over, and the hustle and bustle have ended. Family and guests have returned to their natural habitat, and we have had a chance to return our habitat to its normalcy. We have the opportunity to put the to-do list in the drawer, at least for now.
Despite all the New Year's resolutions and everything we had such hope for, it is OK to relax. It is good for you to stop and breathe for a moment. Read a book under a fuzzy blanket on the couch or in your favorite chair. Binge-watch the new season. Eat the leftovers and leave the laundry unfolded. Go for a week or two or a month with nothing planned.
Listening to Mother Nature hibernation is a good thing. Remember, it's only for a short time. The trick is to hibernate and get the rest we need without melting into the gray monotony of a boring routine. It seems that even when we try to take a minute to take a beat, it turns into the same thing day in and day out until we're not sure which day it is.
Give yourself time to recover. You made it through last year. You made it through the holidays. You made it through. Now, take a deep breath and let yourself rest, relax, and energize for yet another year. When you are well rested, you can write down real, realistic goals and plans. What do you want to obtain in the upcoming year?
But there is vacation time. (Eye roll) Vacations, more often than not, are stressful as well. Planning, money spent/saved, travel, timetables. Vacations are a VERY GOOD thing. That is if they are actually taken.
Google Search for: How often do people go on vacation in the
US
How many vacation days does the average
American take per year?
10 days is the average PTO in the United States private sector, not including paid holidays and sick days. 55% of Americans don't use all of their paid time off. American workers failed to use 768 million days of PTO.
A recent Gallup poll survey revealed that the average workweek for U.S. full-time employees consists of 47 hours. That almost adds up to an extra full day of work every week. 11 percent of those surveyed worked 41-49 hours, 21 percent put in 50-59 hours every week, and a whole 18 percent work 60 or more hours.
That means that at least 50% of us work more than we are getting paid to work. We get 10 days off a year and don’t use them. Hibernation is a must. What is it you are so worried about missing that you can’t take a break? Is it really as important as you think it is?
Go to work. Come
home, do nothing. Fuzzy slippers, hot
chocolate, and warm blankets are the perfect time to snuggle. Be cozy, take long naps, and do not worry
about tomorrow. Favorite books and old movies will serve to rejuvenate
the soul. You did a lot last year. Become one with nature and hibernate too. Rejuvenate and get ready for another long
year. Give yourself bubble baths with
chocolate and all the wine you need. When
the snow melts, everyone will be off to the races again.
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