5 Ways to Recharge Without Taking a Vacation

By Maria Hanson, LiveCareer

Want a vacation, but just can't take one? Despite mounting evidence that vacations are essential to happy, healthy workers, some bosses still balk at the prospect of letting employees leave for a solid week or two--especially in this economic climate. And only half of employees are willing to speak up and ask a boss for support in taking a vacation, according to Ron McMillan, a coauthor of the New York Times bestselling book "Crucial Conversations."

It's time for managers to get up-to-speed on the benefits of vacations, according to Jenni Luke, national executive director of Step Up Women's Network. "The best supervisors insist that tired eyes and minds spend time away in order to return refreshed and ready," she says.

Even when employers approve vacations, more than one-third of Americans lucky enough to get paid vacation time don't take all their vacation days, according to the Expedia.com 2009 Vacation Deprivation survey. Reasons range from being afraid of losing footing at work to not having enough money for a vacation.

If you really can't escape for a big getaway, all is not lost. Here are some alternatives to a traditional vacation that can give you the same benefits:

1. Mini-vacations. You don't need to travel abroad for weeks at a time to benefit from a vacation. A few days off here and there can recharge your batteries. Take a Friday and Monday off, for instance, and enjoy four solid days of time away.

"Mini-vacations are priceless and help make work less stressful overall," says Talia Witkowski, a consultant for Heal Your Hunger, a concierge treatment service that helps people achieve and maintain work-life balance.

2. Daily vacations. "Be sure to do the things you love that are healthy and enjoyable every day, and not solely wait until vacation time to relax," says psychologist Kenneth Herman, the author of "Secrets from the Sofa." Take that dance class you've been wanting to take, or learn to sail. Treating yourself to daily perks that make you happy can make life downright enjoyable between vacations.

Having a job you love can also help put you in a vacation state of mind year-round. Take a free career test to find your dream career.

3. Mental vacations. Therapist Mindy Fox advises that if you can't take a physical vacation, you should take a mind vacation. "Incorporate meditation, yoga, or any activity that puts the mind in the present," she says. An additional benefit is that when your vacation does finally come, you'll be able to disconnect any workaholic tendencies more easily and embrace your well-deserved time off.

4. Staycations. A staycation, where your vacation base is your home, is an economical and relaxing way to kick back during vacation time. More than half of Americans say they plan to stay close to home this summer, according to the newly released Chase Freedom-U.S. News Consumer Monitor Summer Survey. Avoid the stress that often comes with vacationing (think airport security lines and cramped seats), and save big bucks.

And you can do many of the things you'd do on a traditional vacation: sleep late, check out local fun events or tourist attractions, embark on a new hobby, and go to a fun restaurant or two. Keep household chores to a minimum; with the money they save by not traveling, some staycationers even hire a housekeeper once or twice during their time off.

5. Unplug. "We live in a world where people go on camping trips with their laptops and cell phones," says Barry Maher, the author of the career book "Filling the Glass." This is no way to recharge your batteries. No matter how engaged you are with your job, it's essential to check out occasionally. (Find a job you can connect with, with a career interest test.) Even if you can't really get away, you can still unplug from the world of work emails, texting, and other job leashes.

Maggie Mistal, career coach and host of the radio show Making a Living, advises that if you promised you'd be in touch, pick a regular time and stick to it. And then don't even think of opening your computer to check in until the next scheduled time.

Stress is inevitable. But the debilitating strain of chronic work stress is not, even if you're in an inherently stressful profession.

In fact, learning to manage your stress is likely to improve your career, according to career coach Julie Jansen, the author of "You Want Me to Work With Who? Eleven Keys to a Stress-Free, Satisfying, and Successful Work Life--No Matter Who You Work With."

"The number one tip I give to people who want to get ahead at work is 'Manage your stress,'" she says. "People who are stressed act out, and behaving badly can mean that when a promotion comes up, you'll be passed over."

Consider these tips for recognizing and managing work stress:

Become mindful
"The most important thing an individual can do is have awareness of both what's causing the stress and how you're responding to it," says Dr. Steven Rolfe, principal of the Boswell Group, a business consultancy in New York City.

Focus on your stress response and pinpoint causes:

• What activities, duties, or people leave you feeling drained?
• What or who causes your neck pain, headaches, or racing heartbeat?
• What tasks or situations do you avoid?
• How do you talk to yourself about your stress? What stories do you tell?

Take control
While you probably can't control layoffs or reorganizations, there are things you can control--and you should focus on those, says Diane Lang, a health and wellness counselor in New York City.

"I had a client who couldn't leave her job at the moment because she was a single parent," she said. "So we made a list of everything she could control and worked on the list."

Such a list might include focusing on improving your own job performance and setting short- and long-term goals for changing jobs.

Breathe
"Don't hold your breath" is a cliche for a reason. When people are stressed, they literally forget to breathe, says Jeffrey Brantley, director of mindfulness-based stress reduction at Duke University's Center for Integrative Medicine and a coauthor of "Five Good Minutes at Work: 100 Mindfulness Practices to Help You Relieve Stress and Bring Your Best to Work."

Even taking a few minutes to breathe deeply can calm your body's stress-spurred flight-or-fight response.

First things first
"You cannot get control of your stress without getting control of yourself physically," says Karissa Thacker, a Delaware-based management psychologist.

So go back to basics:

• Sleep. Your body may need more rest to deal with the stress.
• Avoid excess. "Stress is a physiological phenomenon that is immediately increased by lots of sugar or alcohol, which stress the system," says Thacker.
• Move your body. You don't have to train for a marathon. Even taking the dog for a walk will help clear your mind.

Change your pattern
Try this: talk to someone at work you haven't visited in a while. Go out to lunch if you usually eat at your desk. Introduce yourself to someone new. Do something to interrupt the usual cycle of stress and anxiety.

"Humans are routinized creatures," Thacker says. "Upset the routine, and you will also unfreeze the thought and emotional patterns that are keeping you constantly worked up."

 When experts talk about fast-growing industries with lots of jobs, health care is often mentioned. In fact, approximately 28 percent of all new jobs will be created in this industry through 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor--this translates to 3.2 million new health care positions.

But where else are jobs growing within the U.S. economy? Many people switching careers or assessing their education and training options aren't interested in health care. Are there other rewarding, rapidly growing jobs that may be a better fit for them?

According to a recently released reference, "100 Fastest-Growing Careers" (11th edition), there are many. In the book, author Michael Farr identifies and discusses the 100 occupations with the highest growth projections through the year 2018, based on information from the U.S. Department of Labor.

"Rapidly growing jobs will often be more attractive career options than jobs that are not growing quickly. Often, these jobs offer better-than-average opportunities for employment and job security. For this reason, you should pay attention to jobs that are projected to grow quickly," says Farr.

Below are some of the fastest-growing occupations, outside of health care, featured in Farr's "100 Fastest-Growing Careers":

Computer Network, Systems, and Database Administrators
Percent Growth Through 2018: 30 percent

Accountants and Auditors
Percent Growth Through 2018: 22 percent

Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists
Percent Growth Through 2018: 22 percent

Computer Software Engineers and Computer Programmers
Percent Growth Through 2018: 21 percent

Customer Service Representatives
Percent Growth Through 2018: 18 percent

Market and Survey Researchers
Percent Growth Through 2018: 28 percent

Construction Laborers
Percent Growth Through 2018: 20 percent

Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Percent Growth Trough 2018: 28 percent

Barbers, Cosmetologists, and Other Personal Appearance Workers
Percent Growth Through 2018: 20 percent

Teachers-Self Enrichment Education
Percent Growth Through 2018: 32 percent

A phone interview gives an interviewer a better idea of who the person behind the resume is. Todd Bermont of The Careers College gives his top five dos and don'ts below, so you'll shine over the phone and land that face-to-face interview:

Don't "wing" your phone interviews. Do prepare as if they were face-to-face interviews.
Prepare and practice at least three hours for every one-hour phone interview. Research the company, know their mission statement, and create a message about how you can help them succeed. Finally, put together a list of questions you want to ask about the opportunity.

Don't talk too much. Do ask open-ended questions.

When it comes to job interviewing, we were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. We should be listening twice as much as we are talking. The best interviews are the ones where the interviewer is doing most of the talking. Ask open-ended questions that will help you uncover the interviewer's vision of the ideal candidate, the challenges the company is currently facing, the needs for the position, and the critical factors necessary to succeed on the job. With that information, you can position yourself as the best candidate for the job.

Don't forget to confirm logistics. Do confirm time, time zone, and so on.
In many cases, you''ll be interviewing with someone far away. Many a phone interview was missed because the time zone was not confirmed. Are you sure that your 9:30 a.m. interview is at 9:30 a.m. your time? Make sure you confirm not only the time but also the time zone. Secondly, confirm who will initiate the call and what numbers will be used. Get the interviewer's land line and cell phone in case connections are missed.

Don't forget to ask for the order. Do determine your desired outcome and go for it.
Usually, the goal of a phone interview is to earn a face-to-face interview. During your phone interview, show the proper enthusiasm for the job. At the end of the interview, convey your interest and ask for the next step in the hiring process.

Don't set yourself up for failure. Do position yourself for success.
That means, ideally, taking the interview in a secluded and quiet home office. Try to use a land line if at all possible, because cell phone connections can be dropped. Remove any clutter from your home office so you can fully focus on the interview. Dress as if you were in a face-to-face interview. Smile and keep the proper posture. Even try taking the call standing up, as you will sound more authoritative and confident. Over 90 percent of all communication is non-verbal, even over the phone. Interviewers can sense your subconscious energy.

Finally, believe you are the best person for the job. If you don't believe it, nobody else will. Visualize the success. Have fun, be prepared, and expect success, and you'll have winning phone interviews.