A Recommendation for Taking a Vacation — Paid Leave Doesn't Need a Reason

How did everyone spend their Golden Week?

I went on a trip to Vietnam and came back broke from the casino (lol).

Golden Week just ended, and I'm not used to work again. I don't feel motivated. I'm just kind of tired.

Haven't you felt that way?

I can't seem to concentrate, though I don't have a clear reason why.
It's surprisingly common to continue working in such a state.

Today, we'll talk about vacations that you can use for such occasions.

Misconceptions about resting

When you hear "long vacation," many people probably imagine "time to relax" and "time to refresh." Of course, that's not incorrect in itself. However, in the fields of management and sales, I feel that perspective alone is not quite enough.

I believe that long holidays are a time to "reset oneself." In our daily work, we are constantly thinking about something. Deals, funds, exits, people. The reality is that "constant thinking" itself has become the job, even more so than the visible tasks.

That's why our thoughts become exhausted without us even realizing it. And if we continue running in that state, our judgment will gradually drift. This drift doesn't happen suddenly; it accumulates little by little. That's precisely why it's problematic, and it's a point I believe we shouldn't take lightly.

The disconnect created by not resting

If you keep moving without a break, you'll gradually start to feel uncomfortable. It will take longer to make decisions, you'll get bogged down in minor details, and you'll start overcomplicating things that could ideally be seen simply.

The only troublesome thing is that it becomes “normal.” Your accuracy deteriorates without you realizing it, and you continue to make decisions in that state. The danger of this disconnect lies in "making judgments without realizing they are wrong."

In jobs where a single decision directly impacts the outcome, like real estate, this state cannot be overlooked. That's precisely why a perspective that questions the feeling of "it's still okay" becomes necessary.

Incomplete breaks are meaningless.

A common situation is being in a state of "thinking you're resting." Even on your days off, you might check work on your smartphone or keep thinking about projects in your head.

In this state, the mind is not resting at all. Even if you stop the body, recovery will not be achieved if the mind continues to race. In fact, continuing to engage with work halfway can make it harder for fatigue to dissipate.

The worst thing is to be constantly half-working. This not only prevents you from resting, but also scatters your concentration, resulting in lower quality in both areas. If you're going to rest, rest completely. This switching is more important than you might think.

The choice to rest thoroughly

That's why, when I decide to rest, I rest thoroughly. This kind of clear-cut decision is necessary. I distance myself from work, block out information, and place myself in an environment where I don't think about work.

You might feel anxious at first. It's natural to worry, "Is something going wrong?" or "Am I missing out on an opportunity?" However, if you hold onto that anxiety, you'll end up staying connected to work in some way.

By taking a good break, your thoughts will settle down and create space in your mind. And it is precisely because of that space that things become organized. You will clearly understand this feeling when you actually experience it.

You don't need a reason for paid leave.

Before we move on, I'd like to touch upon paid leave. When you hear "paid leave," many people probably think, "I need a reason," or "I have to consider others."

However, I believe that reasons are not necessary. It's fine to not feel like it for no particular reason, or to want to rest for no particular reason. That's enough of a reason.

Rather, by the time one can verbalize the reasons, fatigue has often already set in. That's precisely why it's meaningful to pause at the "just a feeling" stage.

Paid leave isn't for special occasions; it's for maintaining your well-being. Use it for minor adjustments rather than waiting for a major breakdown. This approach ultimately leads to more stable work quality.

Being able to rest should be normal.

Another important point is that "being able to rest is the norm." If even one person is absent, things won't run smoothly, and people feel hesitant to take time off. While this might seem efficient at first glance, it's actually very unstable.

Organizations that depend on specific individuals run the risk of ceasing to function the moment that person is gone. On the other hand, organizations that can continue to operate regardless of who takes time off are driven by their systems.

Whether paid leave can be properly taken is also an indicator of a company's health. It shows whether the company is built on the premise of overwork or operates in an organized manner. The difference between these two will be significant in the long run.

What gets refreshed after resting

When you return to work after a good rest, you notice a difference in perspective. Things that seemed complicated before now appear simple, and priorities naturally get sorted out.

Hesitation decreases, and movements become more efficient. This isn't just a matter of mood; it's a state where cognitive processing ability has recovered.

When unnecessary noise is reduced, your inherent judgment will be exercised. I feel that decision-making in this state is indeed highly accurate.

The Essence of Resting

Resting is not slacking off or escaping. It's time to properly maintain your condition.

Even if you achieve temporary results by pushing yourself too hard, that state won't last long. At some point, things will start to break down.

To consistently produce stable results, it's more important to maintain a "well-organized state." Rest for that purpose. It's crucial not to get this order wrong.

So, get plenty of rest.

Long vacations aren't just time off. They are an opportunity to reset yourself. That's why, rather than spending them half-heartedly, you should rest thoroughly.

And, use your paid leave without looking for a reason. It's okay even if it's just a feeling. Take time off when you feel like it. It's important to allow yourself to make that decision.

Instead of continuing to push yourself too hard, move forward while maintaining balance. That way, your results will be more consistent and sustainable in the long run.

■ Common traits of people who postpone resting

After reading this far, some of you might think, "I understand this, but it's actually difficult." In fact, there are commonalities among people who tend to put off resting.

It's thinking, "If I stop, the work stops," and constantly telling yourself, "I'll rest when things calm down a bit."

Both stem from a strong sense of responsibility, but there is one pitfall to this way of thinking. That is that there are almost no clear “boundaries” to work.

If you always think "I'll rest when things calm down," that time will never come. As a result, you'll continue working without being able to create opportunities to rest for yourself.

Whether you have the ability to rest

If you look at it from a slightly different perspective, "resting" is also a skill. Many people are accustomed to working but not accustomed to resting.

So, when I finally try to rest, I don't know what to do, and sometimes I end up going back to work. This is not uncommon.

That's why you don't need to try to rest perfectly from the start. First, start by consciously taking time to rest.

Even for a short time, make time to completely disconnect from work. By accumulating this, you will gradually become better at switching off.

■ The choice not to make plans

When I have a long vacation, I sometimes feel like I have to do something and end up packing my schedule. However, in the end, I often end up feeling exhausted.

Especially for those who are usually busy, there's a tendency to fill their vacation time with schedules too. However, this doesn't leave room for their minds to rest.

Deliberately creating time for doing nothing. Securing time without plans. This choice is more important than you think.

Without thinking, I just feel time passing. Within that, my mind naturally becomes organized. It's because of this “empty space” that I return to my original state.

Don't overlook minor discomforts.

You shouldn't dismiss that "just a feeling" sensation. Fatigue and discomfort often start as very small signals.

If you continue to ignore it, it will eventually lead to a major misalignment. And once it has grown large, it will take a long time to recover.

That's why it's important to pause at small stages. Use paid time off, slow down a little. The accumulation of such small adjustments will lead to stability in the long run.

Rest and responsibility can go hand in hand.

Some people might have a somewhat irresponsible image of taking breaks. However, in reality, it's precisely because of our responsibilities that we need to manage our own condition.

To avoid making poor judgments and to avoid placing an unnecessary burden on others, take a break for those reasons. Simply by changing your mindset to this, your resistance to taking breaks will greatly decrease.

Of course, a minimum level of consideration and preparation is necessary. However, continuing to choose not to take time off for that reason is wrong. Resting and responsibility are not opposing concepts; they can coexist.

The difference in the long term

In the short term, it may seem like continuing to work without rest leads to better results. However, in the long term, the difference becomes clearly apparent.

People who push themselves too hard will eventually see their performance drop. On the other hand, those who pace themselves and move forward can build a stable foundation without major setbacks.

This gap will widen as time goes on. That's why it's important to consider not just the "current results," but also "whether this state can be maintained."

■ Resting, once again

As I've written so far, resting isn't something special. Rather, it's a prerequisite for continuing to work.

Rest well, rest thoroughly, rest without reason. That's how you get yourself in order.

This simple action makes the biggest difference in the end.

Instead of forcing things, I believe that moving forward while organizing and refining things is what leads to sustained results over the long term.