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Is a volunteer vacation right for you?
According to a recent article in Money, fewer than half of American workers utilize their allotted vacation days. That, despite the proven benefits of taking time off, such as reduced stress, assisting in productivity upon returning to the job and more. Vacationing is also a great way to reduce burnout, according to an article in NGen.
The results of a 2016 research study prove that not only do American workers leave approximately 658 million vacation days unused annually, the numbers are even more staggering for Millennials. In fact, research indicates that upwards of 43 percent of Millennials do not take their prescribed vacation time, perhaps as a way to show dedication to their work. Moreover, the study found that Millennials are more likely to “shame” their colleagues for taking vacations than do members of other age groups.
If you find yourself wanting to take time from work but unable to relax and detach from your professional responsibilities when on vacation, perhaps a twist on what you do with your time off will be the nudge you need to go.
Volunteer vacations are gaining a foothold in the lexicon of people who simply can’t or don’t wish to simply lay on a beach somewhere reading a book. For that reason, an increasing number of hotels and travel companies offer or organize volunteer vacations.
Travel+Leisure recently published a piece explaining the concept of the volunteer vacation, which allow travelers to give back to the communities in which they visit. The article also suggested several outlets fully engaged in overseeing the offerings. As more Americans are going green in their daily lives, the notion of volunteering away from home is enjoying an uptick, as well.
For example, Lapo Rios, an eco-lodge in Costa Rica, offers a variety of volunteer opportunities ranging in complexity. A simple task would be planting a sapling in Lapo Rios to assist local efforts to reforest the area by transplanting a primary rainforest seedling to a locale in need of that attention.
Several organizations touting volunteer vacations can be found online. Among them is Discover Corps, whose international offerings vary in length of time and overall goals. Another site to check is A Broader View.
If you happen to find yourself vacationing in Israel, a popular outlet for volunteering is a kibbutz, a community settlement. While the stereotypical kibbutz focuses on agriculture and farming, products produced by today’s kibbutz vary. That means volunteers with varied backgrounds and skills are needed to pitch in.
Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and writer who tweets as @girlwithapen.
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