Dear HRart Worker,

Can you feel it? The energy of summer is calling. As the most yang (active) season of the year, it invites us to make the most of these beautiful days. Culturally, we embrace this season as the perfect opportunity to get away on vacation.

For many of us, we function in our professional lives with the goal to just make it to vacation. Unfortunately, we’ve relied on vacations to be the great catalyst for balance instead of working that balance into each week. We work tirelessly, thinking that as soon as we put up that out-of-office notice, everything will be okay. This puts enormous pressure on vacation plans to be the perfect mix of restoration and adventure to nourish you at all levels.

If you aren’t intentional about caring for your energy on vacation and instead rely solely on a trip to rejuvenate your reserves, you may find yourself returning to work feeling less restored than you anticipated.

Here are three ways to care for your energy on vacation:

1. Recognize Emotions for What They Are

Stress and anxiety are normal when preparing for and traveling on a trip. These emotions are energy, and there’s an organic magnetic pull between similar energies.

For example, consider the airport. If you feel nervous about flying, take notice of what happens to your anxiety upon entering the terminal. What feels like growing anxiety may actually be the accumulation of your own nerves and those of others around you. This is especially true for naturally empathic individuals.

Keep this in mind, and remind yourself that those emotions don’t belong to you—you don’t need to hold onto them.

2. Schedule Rest Days

Two years ago, I had my first panic attack while on vacation. It was triggered by a lack of energy and overwhelming demands. Visiting family I rarely see made it harder to say “no” to packed agendas.

The panic attack hit in the middle of the night, leaving me emotionally and physically drained. My husband reassured me that skipping the day’s activities was fine, and I spent the day resting, sleeping, and being still.

Vacation agendas can be just as draining as packed work schedules. If you enter a vacation with low reserves, you likely won’t have the energy for full days of adventure.

Now, my family includes rest days in every vacation plan, similar to recovery days in a workout routine. This small shift has made a world of difference.

3. Add an Energy Care Routine

A Qigong practice can help you build energy, establish healthy boundaries, and re-establish balance. If you want to be open and ready for a great vacation, begin caring for your energy now.

A simple 10-minute daily practice—whether a standing posture, visualization, or gentle flowing movements—can be transformative.

For too long, we’ve used vacations as the great balancer in our lives, believing they will reset our lack of self-care. But booking a vacation alone doesn’t guarantee restoration—you have to intentionally create that experience.

With these three tips, you’ll enjoy more incredible vacations and come closer to achieving balance in your work and life.

Sincerely,

Samm (she/her/hers)