Off the Beaten Path

Sometimes, by taking a path less traveled while on vacation, treasures can be discovered. Whether traveling locally or internationally, finding an out of the way spot that highlights a magical yet local venue is normally one of the most memorable experiences a traveler can have while traveling.
 

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Even in your own backyard there are special and astonishing venues that can offer a local flavor that is overseen by most residents. A neighborhood pub or jazz club will often highlight or promote a local group that really makes its mark as truly homegrown and vibrant. Sometimes, finding a small little eatery with almost family styled meals can open one’s eyes to the hidden treasures that our own cities tuck away in unexpected corners.

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The same holds true while traveling. Sometimes by stepping off the path of popularity and obvious tourist attractions you can end up in a special spot that glitters with its own magic and inspiration. And you become part of that moment, etched forever in your memory as well as the memories of every other attending person.

Of course, when traveling, there is great value in touring well-known and popular establishments. Walking across famous bridges or entering an ancient and well-known building can also etch permanent memories. But whenever a traveler stumbles across an unknown but honestly authentic diner or club, those are typically the experiences that hold a place front and center in our memories of our trip.

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In essence, whether at home or abroad, trust the adventurer in yourself. Discover places you cannot pronounce or remember how you came across it. Travel is always magical, but when you find a true paradise that even the locals often overlook, you can and will hold such an experience forever.

Never forget that a place that is off the beaten path is not less special than the spots where everyone who wants to be seen gathers. Sometimes, it is even more special!

REPOST: Want a raise? Try taking a vacation

 This article from Today.com talks about how taking vacations actually increases the chances for Americans to get ahead at work.

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As summer comes to a close, many Americans find themselves lamenting the vacations they didn't take.

Whether it's due to stress over the work that will pile up while they're gone, or concerns that their employer will realize that the company can get by without them, the U.S. Travel Association said last week that 40 percent of Americans don't use all of their vacation days.

But what if taking time off actually helped you get ahead at work?

According to internal research by audit firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young), employees who use more vacation days end up with better performance reviews.

"In the U.S. and Canada ... for each 10 vacation hours a person took, we found on average that performance reviews were 8 percent higher," said Maryella Gockel, flexibility strategy leader at EY.

Vacation also helped slow down employee turnover, with every 40 hours of free time extending employees' stay at the company by eight months, Gockel said.

Anne Weisberg, senior vice president at the Families and Work Institute, a nonprofit that examines the "work-life fit," said that while people know there is a correlation between taking time off and better work performance, there is little research into the connection.

"We all know this intuitively, that we are not performing at our best when exhausted," she said. "Taking a break can bring you back and increase your performance. People on some level understand that. The question is what is the tone being set by the team leader?”

Although it can be difficult to measure the correlation between taking time off and performance, Ken Matos, senior director of research at the Families and Work Institute, cited some findings that parallel the results discovered by EY.

A study published in 2001 by Psychology & Health found that among blue-collar workers at an industrial plant in Israel, levels of absenteeism in workers fell for four weeks following a vacation.

"From a practical standpoint, absenteeism represents a significant cost and source of disruption to the organization," the report concluded. "To decrease absenteeism, the organization should try to regulate vacations according to stressful periods."

Gockel, a 34-year EY veteran who describes herself as "a recovering accountant," and who knows the pressures of high-performance environments where employee time is billed by the hour, said she thinks the spread of always-on technologies has made it more challenging to make good decisions about work and time off.

"[Technology] enables us to do crazy things we weren't able to do 20 years ago," she said. "We have to figure out ways to manage this new way of working."

EY attempts to combat this always-on culture by sending messages encouraging vacations, and operating a resource center that helps people think about what vacations they can take, and how to find good travel deals.

The firm also encourages a culture of delegation, which has another positive effect for workers and the firm.

"When you delegate to others, other people grow while you are gone," Gockel said. "Vacations can be a very important opportunity for others on the team."

Follow Louis Habash on Twitter to know more about the many benefits of going on vacation and traveling.