How long does it take you to wind down when on break?

[El Presidente]

Well, it's been a week since we shut shop and headed off for a well earned break and I can honestly say that today is the first time that I have felt 100% "in synch" with the holiday break. 

Until today I have been "finding things to do".....but I woke up this morning just not giving a rats arse   It's taken 7 days and it has arrived "right on time". 

Is there anyone else in the same boat when it comes to "downtime?"  

[williamthewolf]

Weeks


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[JohnS]

At this stage of my life, yes...it can take some time. For me, currently it's 2 to 5 days, depending on how busy I've been at work immediately prior to the vacation period.

[RDB]

I find it hugely depends on the vacation. The more absorbing and demanding, the better and quicker. Something involving hazardous navigation / exposure to the elements / children in peril seems to work best for me.

[Kitchen]

Roughly 5 seconds, but after 5 minutes I am usually too bored and go back to work.  

It's impossible for me to just relax and do nothing; annoys the hell out of my wife when we go to the beach.  

[riderpride]

If my wife is around,  then it'll be a while.

Me and the kids? Immediate relief 

 

 

 

[BoliDan]

Usually takes about a week until I'm in the groove of just doing things unscheduled and winging the day. 

[Hollywood Ninja]

Immediately. Mostly because I start drinking heavily the moment I enter the airport.

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[Nevrknow]

Immediately. Usually I come in, wrench on something for a bit to wind down. Get frustrated and throw said wrench, pour a dram, grab a cigar and then it's Whoosh. I'm done. She grabs a bottle and a glass when she hears the wrench clang. Something about " knowing me ".

Whatever.....🤣

[westg]

About 2 seconds after the plane leaves the ground 🤠

[mbrody]

3 to 5 days unfortunately…older I get, harder it is to wind down. I’m sure it is work related.

[Fuzz]

Wind down? I'm supposed to be on vacation, and yet I'm still working!!

[BrightonCorgi]

Vacation?  What's that? 😭

[El Hoze]

I can’t do it. Usually around day 10 or so on a pure check-out vaca I start asking my wife questions like “what is the real meaning of my life?” with watery eyes at which point she rolls her eyes, gives me a hug, and sends me back to work.  

[benfica_77]

usually 3-5 days ....if its an active vacation where i'm doing something then 2 days. 

This is why i'm a big proponent of taking longer vacations...I have colleagues that just take a Friday here and there...it doesn't give you enough time to unplug

[Cigar Surgeon]

Hamlet taught me how to unscrew my Canadian head and put on my Cuban head. So usually once I hit the airport I barely have a pulse.

[Ciscojohansson]

Vacation is when the kids are at kindergarten. Believe me. 

[Bijan]

I wind up and down all the time, most days.

But it takes me 3 or 4 days of rest to recover and feel fresh and well rested.

Feeling well rested for the first time in a very long while now.

[hrs1]

After a week or so, I've usually broken my daily routines, chilled out and feel more creative.  Somewhere near the end of the second, my wife (and now my toddler) becomes concerned and starts suggesting that I return to work 😂 

[LLC]

It’s tough for me to truly wind down and even when I’m off work, I do keep and eye on things and do things that need to be taken care of. Today is day 1 of 5 off (including the weekend) and since a lot of other people are also off, I hope to have wound down before I go back to what will be a very busy, intense January. 

[Cigar-Therapy]

23 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Well, it's been a week since we shut shop and headed off for a well earned break and I can honestly say that today is the first time that I have felt 100% "in synch" with the holiday break. 

Until today I have been "finding things to do".....but I woke up this morning just not giving a rats arse   It's taken 7 days and it has arrived "right on time". 

Is there anyone else in the same boat when it comes to "downtime?"  

I've learned - I need at least 3 weeks off to truly feel like I'm on holiday.

1 Week - and you never fully detach, the time is spent thinking that you'll be back at the grind in less than 7 days.

2 Weeks - you get close to getting into R&R - which takes close to a week.  The second week you spend thinking about the fact that you'll be back at the grind the following week.  There has to be buffer so there is no pressure to enjoy the moment because it will be gone in less than a week.

3 Weeks - The first week is used to get into R&R mode - the second week is the prime R&R time - there is no threat within 7 days of having to go back to work and you can truly be at one with your time off.  You know you have a whole 3rd week to start idling the work engines again and getting ready to return to work.

I recently started with a new organization and am currently building my PTO back up (I like to max it out before I really start taking time).  It won't be until 2024 that I get 3 weeks off, but I do plan to take the entire month of December off.
 

Note: I get 13 days of vacation and 13 days of sick leave - then go up to 20 days when I hit 3 years  - I can rollover 240 hours   So it’s not that I can’t take time - I just prefer to have more than I need in case of emergency.

 

[Edicion]

About 10 days. Then after the "time off", it takes 7-8 weeks to get back into "work mode" again. 

[dominattorney]

I am the worst at decompression. I have convinced myself that my job is a higher calling. Once you make that mistake you have a hard time completely walking away. 

[PuroDiario]

Always difficult to cut the cord fully for me…it just does not happen. But what can happen if trip is long enough is at day 3-5 I go through a pretty bad mood and end up sleeping 12 hours and that’s it, I am on vacation. 

[Chibearsv]

I prefer to take long weekends and tell everyone I'm out of pocket completely.  That allows me to unwind completely immediately.  If I do take a week or more off, I'm not off, I'm working remotely.  Maybe not all day, but certainly every day.  I'll wind down for more than a weekend after I retire.