Time to #PlanForVacation: Why Planning Matters
This upcoming January 31, 2017 is National Plan for Vacation Day, an initiative of Project Time Off.
The special #TravelTuesday is a friendly reminder to take time to experience the world around you by using your well-deserved time off, and that starts with planning.
National Plan for Vacation Day is a day to encourage those around you (and yourself!) to plan when you’ll be using your vacation days right at the start of the year.
You might think, “I have all year to figure out when to take my vacation, why rush it, Sundance Vacations?”
We want you to plan now because PLANNING MATTERS!
1.) Why Planning is Vital!
The very first step to planning your vacation is understanding the benefit of scheduling your time off ahead of time.
Planning your vacation is vital because it’s not the kind of thing that is easy to simply “wing.”
In 2015, 653 million vacations days weren’t used by more than half of workers in the U.S. according to Project Time Off.
In fact, since the beginning of the new millennium, people have been using less and less of their paid time off.
The likelihood of you using your vacation time increases the more you plan, therefore, if you want to ensure you make the time to getaway, make the time to schedule it.
Only 39% of non-planners use all their vacation time while 51% of planners do!
The stats go up when the vacation is a full-week long, because it’s harder to make spontaneous plans for that many days.
Planning your vacation early in the year is both a great way to finalize the details and to give you something to look forward to all year long.
2.) Confirm, Review and Schedule
Talk to your coworkers about when you would like to take off to see if it would interfere with their work schedule or to give them time to prepare for your absence.
Your first step should be to check up on your paid time off benefits. Some companies will make changes to their days off or give you special perks for how many years you’ve been with the business.
2017 could mean more vacation days for you, so if you’re unsure, check with your HR director.Next, take a look at your calendar.
Consider taking your vacation around holidays you have off to utilize all your days and extend your stay.
Also take into consideration how your vacation will affect others. Maybe June is a busy month for you at the office and your coworkers could really use your help. Or maybe you know that a coworker always takes their week vacation during this time, so you should avoid taking yours then too.
Also consider other special events like birthdays, when the kids will be out of school, and all other factors.
Once you have a good idea of your availability, choose your location and set the dates for your adventure.
Talk to your boss about your plans before submitting your time-off request to give him/her a heads up to start making arrangements to handle the load while you’re gone.
Then BAM, you’re locked into a date for your trip!
3.) Share Your Excitement
Get yourself excited for your upcoming trip by sharing details about your plans with your friends and loved ones. Show them pictures of the getaway and tell them about what you’d like to do on the trip.
What a better way to get motivated than to share your excitement with your friends, family and colleagues?
Research has shown that simply having something to look forward to can improve your happiness.
Call up your loved ones and tell them what you plan on doing or share the news of your upcoming trip on Facebook using the hashtag #PlanForVacation.
Maybe make a vacation countdown calendar to cross off the days left till your vacation. Just make sure you get yourself amped for your trip so that you are committed to going.
The more people you pledge to, the more likely you’ll be to actually go. After all, people want to be consistent with their character and commit to actions that they promise others, so start spreading the word.
Make a promise to yourself and to others that you’re taking time to get away this year!
Let National Plan for Vacation Day Inspire You!
The New Year is the perfect time to make new resolutions, so take some steps early on to keep your “travel more” pledge.
Keep the momentum from National Plan for Vacation Day going and make time to apply for your passport or research some money saving tips to fill up that vacation fund piggy bank.
Most importantly, don’t forget to get excited for your trip.
Check out our new Sundance Vacations properties to start planning right away or make a dream vacation board on Pinterest! There’s so many ways to plan your trip with us.
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