Life is full of distractions. Distractions can come in good and bad forms and can lead us down unintended paths in life. For Liann and me, our biggest distraction in life is work. This is common for many folks. Lately, work has kept us from embracing adventure, which is what we love to do most in life. It’s time for a life check-in.
Liann and I typically average 1-2 trips a month. We haven’t been on a trip in over 2 months and we are both feeling the itch. The last time we hadn’t traveled for this long was probably some time in 2015! I say “probably” because it wasn’t until 2016 that I started tracking our travels on a Google Calendar and Google Trips.
The Problem
Over the past month, the 60+ hour work weeks have been distracting us from our lives and have lead to some unfortunate missed opportunities. We have missed out on deals that would have resulted in heavily discounted trips. These deals slipped through our fingers because of our failure to commit to them. Whether it was struggling to make the decision or being too busy to even give consideration, we were both way too distracted with work.
What We Missed Out On…
- Going to Portland, OR for my birthday.
- Enjoying a Winter Getaway in Miami.
- Experiencing an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic.
- A Free trip to Nashville to see Amos Lee in Concert.
Our Solutions
Go with Our Gut
Sometimes we let our minds get in the way of us living our lives. We tend to make calculated decisions with our finances, which can make it difficult to let go of our money. We are going to be better at listening to our gut when a good deal comes along.
Leverage the Refund
When planning a trip, there a couple of things to work out like how to get there, where to stay, how to get around, and what to do. Airfare and hotels usually have a grace period for a full refund. If we see a deal that offers a full refund, we are going book it right away and make time to figure out the details later.
Be Present
We need to improve on being present in life instead of letting it fly by while we work. There will undoubtedly always be more work, but there may not be second-chances when it comes to experiences.
Take Care of Ourselves
There are times that I look down at my computer screen and it can be 6 hours until I come up for air. No liquids, food, or bathroom breaks. That is pretty unhealthy. It is at its worst when Liann and I work from home because there are no “office” interruptions. We are going to try to do better with forcing each other to take mini breaks throughout the day.
Get Some Rest
This always seems to be an issue for us, but if we stay focused on making it a priority, then it’s bound to happen. In fact, we are scheduling a couples massage for the beginning of March that will no doubt put us in the resting mood.
Of course there is light at the end of this tunnel. We just have to re-prioritize our thinking to get there.
Has something been distracting you that is causing you to miss out on life? How do you plan to fix it? Share below!
