This is a concern for so many that I’ve talked to. Time and attention are our most valuable resources, and most of weeks they are “taken” from us. Vacation is the one or two weeks we get them back. We apply ourselves in the way we want to, invest our time how we desire, and give our attention to things that matter to us.
Pursuing the work you were meant to do on the weekends, at night in the basement, or during the week when the kids are in bed, will not compete with your vacation time—the getaway for you to take care of yourself.
Vocation is not in competition with your vacation. They both are an investment of your time and attention in a way that you want. If not, you’re either not really taking vacation (and it’s really a work trip masquerading as vacation) or you’re not truly pursuing your vocation (and someone has convinced you your job is a substitute).
Vacation is often the necessary departure we need to cope with a life that is imbalanced and unhealthy. Your unique work or call can also serve this purpose. It balances us. It gives our life meaning. It deeply feeds and energizes us.
And keep in mind that because vacation is the one chance to invest our attention the way we want, it’s an opportunity for learning and growing (while relaxing) . . . in ways that enrich our vocation and purpose. You can finally read that book, tinker on that website, playfully take risks with that new tool, or meditate that shelved idea.
Pursuing your purpose doesn’t hinder your vacation. It may enhance it.
