Vacations and Saying No

Tip of the Day: Are you bad at saying "no" to people. Next time try one of these funny ways to say no. Gotta love a list that starts of with "I have to floss my cat."

Sometimes you need to write and sometimes you need to just take a break.

This week is one of those vacation weeks. (If you call rooming in a cabin with eight children vacation, I guess).

Many studies have proven that time away from work actually makes you more productive. So I'm not going to argue with the experts.

As I've gotten older, I definitely appreciate my free time much more and try to say "no" more often so I can actually have free time. Sometimes working full time and then coming home to write can be extremely challenging and taxing. But most of us trying to break into writing are doing just that. Kudos to us! Many times I feel like I have a second job, even though I'm not making any money, nor do alot of people understand me when I say I have to go home and "work"-- aka write.

I think it's something that only writers can understand. Yes, writing is fun. Yes, most of us do it because we enjoy it. But publishing is a business and a hard one to get into at that. So it is a job, even if you aren't making money.

And just like with any job, sometimes breaks are important.

Which is why I'm enjoying my vacation right now.

And next week I will happily go back to "work" and keep on writing away.

--Emily, Miss Querylicious

Vacations are your friend

Tip of the Day: want to get out and do something fun, but don't want to spend a lot of money? Check your city's vacation and visitor's bureau to see if they have "Be a Tourist in your Own Town" days or suggestions. It's amazing what cool stuff you might find that you didn't even know existed in your own town.


So I've been taking a bit of a break from writing, editing, and reading to recharge myself and get ready to do some big editing next month. I'm so excited that I'm going on vacation to Savannah next week that I can hardly think of anything else.

I really need a vacation.

I'm definitely one of those people that needs a change in scenery and environment every now and then to get my creative juices flowing and to recharge. I've taken a few mini trips this past year, but nothing more than a night or two, so I'm excited to get away for an extended stay.

In fact I'm so excited that I've decided to be a dork and give you reasons why vacations are important.

• It's good for your health. It's true. I found it on the Internet (which means it must be accurate, right :)) But it's been proven that vacations, along with sleep and exercise are "restorative and protective against the ill effects of psychological stress."

Other good points the blog entry mentions include: 

• Vacations often allow you to pamper yourself and reward yourself for all your hard work. And it gives you time to be treated well and feel important.
• It offers you freedom to do what you want, when you want.

Other wonderful things about vacations if you are going with family or a significant other, they allow you to:

•  Reconnect and try something new together, which might give you something to talk about for along time to come.
• They foster bonding and build beautiful memories.

 Okay, okay. I know these are all common sense and everyone knows vacations are awesome! So I'm definitely preaching to the choir.

But sometimes all of us forget that we need time to step back and relax. Yes, vacations can be work to set up--especially if you are "doer" like me on vacations instead of a "relaxer"-- and they can be stressful at times, but normally it's a good stress and it's worth it in the end.
 
So if you happen to ever feel guilty about taking a vacation, talk yourself out of it now. It is almost always money well spent!

--Emily, Miss Querylicious