Importance of taking a vacation

I'm back! So good to be back and writing again. As you may have noticed (or not), I was gone for 16 days. I went with my wife on vacation to Portugal. I'm not saying this to brag but to explain why it is essential to take a more extended break, visit other cultures and just forget about the work.

Why travel?

To me, traveling is the purest way of learning practically about other cultures and get familiar with them. I could, of course, read and watch on YouTube travel vlogs to get a sense of what I could expect from different countries. I would get even a good understanding of that. But all of this fades away when you are actually at the place you were watching.

When you are in a new place, all different senses in your body and brain are triggered at once. When you see the magnitude of Praça do Comércio, all details are on the building and the arc. Or when you walk under the arch and look up. You feel small but at the same time also big. You start to wonder, "How did they build this so many years ago?". You begin to ask yourself so many different questions that you want to find the answer to. You ask your spouse or check the guide you brought with you. Your imagination and curiosity are galloping at the maximum speed. Synapses in your brain are beautifully stimulated by the images your eyes are portraying to your brain. You want to know more and experience more. You may just sit and admire the different marvels in front of you.

At least for me, travel and seeing new places stimulate my brain in such way. That also has another benefit. It helps you recharge your batteries, especially after exhausting work.

I'm not discovering new things here; everybody knows that. But I want you to focus on the different aspects of this. If it's travel, reading books or playing some games, it can help you see things a bit differently and in a new light. Or you may start to question things you wouldn't ask before upon getting a piece of new knowledge. All of this can help you grow as a person and help you in the work you're doing.

So when you have a change, go to a new place. It doesn't have to be a new country. It may be a nearby area of your city or a part of a city you never really explored. If you don't want to walk, you can grab a new book. You may learn a new thing or show a known thing to you in a different light. Pick anything that can stimulate your brain and relax you or excite you. Or both.

Remember, we work to live, not live to work.

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