It’s the third of July and most US offices are closed to celebrate Independence Day (even though the actual holiday is tomorrow). Are you taking the day off? I hope so. You should be taking advantage of every opportunity for rest and relaxation. It’s crucial to your mental health. This is a tough job and if you don’t take the time to enjoy your life you’ll quickly tire of the work.

While you’re out of the office, today, I hope you’ll take a minute to assess your vacation situation. Do you have a vacation planned? If not, why not?

My suggestion is that you take a major vacation (you’ve got to leave town) of one to two weeks at least twice a year – more if you can work it out. The key to making that happen is to schedule the trip well in advance. Always schedule your next trip immediately upon returning from your last trip. Make it a habit.

If you don’t have a trip scheduled now then get online and book something. Worst case – book it for six months from now. That will give you plenty of time to get caught up and it’s easier to commit to something so far out.

Don’t insist on being spontaneous. Plan in advance. Most of the “spontaneous” lawyers I know don’t take vacations. They claim to love quick trips at the last minute, but the fact is that they rarely find the time.

My favorite vacation of all time was a month on Grand Cayman quite a few years ago. Why was it great? The island breeze? The Rum Punch? Nope, it was great because I was there for four weeks. I went diving every other day, I spent time with my family and, most importantly, I was able to totally disconnect from the office. It takes me days and days to  stop thinking about work. That trip was fantastic.

Go ahead, now, and open another browser window and start researching your trip. Book it by the end of the day. Send me an email and let me know where you’re going. I can’t wait to hear.