I skipped the week-long archery hunt this year, because I felt like I was too busy at work to take the time off. Now I’m regretting that. I was just as busy last year, but I went hunting for a week anyway. Yes, it meant scrambling to get as much as I could done before I left, then another week or so of long hours and hard work to get caught up when I got back. But I got everything done I needed to do, and the week spent in the hills made all the extra work worth it.
Besides, as I’m realizing this year, I think that hunting break actually reinvigorated me. Yes, I had to work harder to catch up after being gone for a week, but I felt more energized.
So if you haven’t done it already, take some time off and get out to the woods to do a little hunting. Hunting season doesn’t last forever, so you have to take advantage of it while you can.
If you can’t get away for a full week, at least try to take a Friday and a Monday off, or a Thursday and a Friday. Having a few more days than just a normal weekend to hunt can make a big difference, both for the hunt and for your mental health. Those days you take off from work will give you the break you need to keep from burning out, and it’ll reenergize you when you do get back to work. If the boss balks at giving you the time off, be sure to explain it that way.
But don’t just take my word for it. Do an internet search for advice on staying productive and engaged at work, and just about any article you find will encourage you to take the occasional day off. Study after study has shown that people who don’t take vacations burn out and find themselves looking for a new job sooner than those who do take those days off as often as they can.
So improve your productivity at work by taking time to go hunting now.
