Do You Plan to Vacate This Year? by John Chasteen

Vacating must become a discipline.

Vacation time rolls around every year, however, many never take advantage of it. Surprisingly, relaxation is not a natural for countless leaders.

Preconditioned mindsets and unrelenting pressure to succeed produces a drive in leaders that doesn’t equate with relaxation.

Ironically, the scripture reveals that Jesus never condemned mankind for relaxing. As a matter of fact Jesus himself always seemed to be fresh and relaxed, almost as if He was on a vacation.

So how do we learn to relax? What are the keys?  Here are a few that will hopefully help.

1. Don’t let yourself feel guilty for taking time off.

Have you ever found yourself feeling guilty for taking time off?  I know I have.  My advice is-don’t!

In the book of Mark, Jesus told His disciples to, “come apart for a while.” The implication is that if you don’t come apart for a while you will come apart in a while.

2. Don’t let yourself live in a hurried state of mind.

It has been said that hurry is the pace of the 21st century.

We have to understand that there is a huge difference between diligence and hurry. We must learn to pace ourselves.

I like what Joyce Meyer says, “Rushing begins in the mind, just as all actions do. “I have to hurry” is a thought pattern we must avoid.

3. Learn to schedule regular relaxation into your life.

Relaxation is a discipline.

It’s planned and scheduled, anyone can do it. It’s as simple as allowing your self the freedom to have a little get-away; whether it’s geographical or simply a frame of mind.

So, have you scheduled some relaxation time?

Conclusion

How about it, are you vacating this year? Go ahead plan that little get-away. You’ll have no regrets. Ahhh, how nice it is to relax.