Due to the nature of my job, I have not had the opportunity to take a real vacation in quite some time.  For the most part, our time away as a family was  spent as Christmas holidays and pre and post-deployment leave blocks.  Not that those times aren’t wonderful, but the purpose they serve is just not the same as taking a dedicated time away.

In fact, this is not just unique to my situation.  Michael Hyatt mentions that Americans left 658 million vacation days unused.  That’s million with an M.

The trouble with this loss of vacation time is not with Disney World’s bottom line or Myrtle Beach’s hotel business, it has more to do with us not taking the time we need to get away, unplug and rest.

So, going into this time of rest, I put a good deal of thought into what the time away would look like.  I do this for a couple of reasons.  First, if I don’t intentionally plan it, I won’t actually do it.  And second, to rest well means we need to put thought into what each day will look like and how we desire each day to unfold.

So, I start with the goals I have in mind for this sabbatical.  First, I want to wake up each morning when my body naturally does; no alarm.  Second, I want to have mornings and evenings free to journal and read.  Third, I want to connect with a few close friends and family.  And fourth, I want to taste all the culinary specialties the region has to offer.

And now, moving into the specifics – here is how I intentionally plan on vacationing well.

1. No Watches – For this time away I want my body to tell me when it is time to go to bed and wake up.  I want to use this time to let my body rest in the way that it needs to.
2. Schedule time with Friends and Family – I have let my friends and family know when we are available and scheduled time with them accordingly.  Knowing that these times are hard scheduled in allows me the freedom to live in the present with them and not be thinking about the next thing.
3. Block off times in the morning –  The morning is my most productive time of the day.  I want to dedicate the hours between rising and 9:00 in the morning for reading, journaling, and thinking.
4. Make a list of foods we want to eat – The area where we are going has great food and by making a list of the specific dishes we want to eat makes our shopping and meal plans that much easier.

Resting well, just like doing anything well, takes a little planning and forethought to carry out.  With a bit of intentional planning, we can have a vacation that builds us up and brings us back rested, re-charged, and ready to pursue what lies ahead.