Vacations are Good for Business

A few years back I sat front row at a tourism conference with Samantha Brown as the keynote speaker. She was, of course, captivating as she shared stories of her endless travels. Her vivid depictions of unique experiences in far-off places could convince even the most devoted homebody to drop everything, grab their passport and just go. 

Not only is Samantha Brown a fierce storyteller, she is also an advocate for Project Time Off, an organization dedicated to encouraging Americans to actually use their vacation days. According to the organizations website, more than half of all Americans leave unused vacation time on the table each year. Project Time Off is on a mission to reverse this trend. The organization firmly believes more travel will boost the overall economy, and that taking a vacation may improve an individual's mental health, happiness and job satisfaction. 

If there is a mission I can get behind - it is THIS. I may be a marketer, but vacation planning is my avocation.

As a new business owner (with no such thing as paid time off) and a new mom ('nuff said), taking a vacation could certainly be looked at as a luxury I cannot (or should not) afford at this point in my life. Welp - good thing I am not really all that interested in adhering to societal views of what I should or should not be doing. In other words - I refuse to stop traveling. It's too good for my business, and yours. Here's why: 

1. Problem Solving
My work depends heavily on my ability to creatively solve problems. Coping with the unknowns that a great adventure almost always hands you is the best exercise in critical thinking and problem solving that I have ever experienced. 

"Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund."
~Anthony Bourdain

2. Perspective
I have said this before, and I will say it again: Travel gives me perspective. This does not mean that I must visit a third world country to realize my problems are small. It is actually not about comparison at all. It is about stepping out of my bubble and seeing what it's like out there in the world. Through a travelers lens, I start to see my "normal" a bit differently. When I return home, I do not un-see or un-feel what I experienced outside my comfort zone. Instead, I incorporate this perspective into my daily living, my decision making, and my interactions. It impacts who I am as a person, and a professional.

3. Creativity
A street I have never walked before, the smell of a new city, the taste of another culture's cuisine, the sun setting over a faraway shore. To put it simply - travel lights me up. Nothing stirs my creativity quite like travel. There is so much to see, such inspiration to uncover, so many connections yet to be made. When I sit at home in front of my computer I am brought to life by the people I have met, the visions and experiences I have encountered across the globe. They pour through my fingers as I type, they impact my style as a creator and a writer. They are a part of me in every sense, including my work.