Kathy’s family vacation to the beach was usually the highlight of her summer. This year, however, her parents announced a new rule: no phones for the entire week.

“But my friends will be expecting updates about the trip,” Kathy complained. Kathy’s mom gave her a serious look. Unwillingly, Kathy handed her phone over and her mom locked it away.

The drive to the beach house took most of the day. As they turned off the highway onto countryback roads, the clouds darkened. Rain started to pour. “Even more beautiful in the rain,” her mother said. “What do you think, Kathy?” Kathy glared at her mom. “Beautiful,” she muttered.

That night after dinner, Kathy wandered into the kitchen, where her father was washing dishes. She gave her father a loving look and said in her sweetest voice, “Couldn’t I have my phone back, just for one second? Just so I can tell everyone what an amazing time I’m having?”

“Can’t,” he said. “It’s not here. Remember?” Kathy was very annoyed. Having nothing better to do, she examined the dusty bookcase in the living room. The books looked as dull as the weather. On the top shelf, however, she spotted a puzzle. She took it, emptied the pieces on the table, and began to sort them.

After what seemed like a few minutes, she looked up. It was past ten o'clock. She had been working for almost two hours! She yawned. The puzzle was less than half done, but she was exhausted. So, she went to bed.

After a quick breakfast, Kathy headed to the beach.

Appreciating the finished puzzle, she realized she hadn’t thought of her cellphone for hours.

When you hear the word “vacation”, what comes to mind? For most it means having fun, pampering (纵容) themselves to some degree or simply relaxing and catching up on sleep. Most people consider it a time to relax and recharge away from work and the stress of life. However, the reality for some is that they end up feeling even more stressed and exhausted than they did before they went on vacation. How is this possible?

A common misconception that people have about going on vacation is that they need to make the most out of their trip. Before they go on every tour they can research 101 places to visit and then pack 98 of those suggestions along their trip. While making the most of your time away, most people over-pack their schedule and overwhelm (压垮) themselves with too many things which result in more stress and less rest.

Today, technology and social media have over-promoted and normalized sharing every experience we have — especially while we are on vacation. The saying “If you didn’t post it, did it really happen?” drives our current culture of documenting and sharing EVERYTHING. Also you may spend more time taking the perfect selfie (自拍) at every stop than you do actually participating in the activity. You end up sacrificing the quality of the trip for the quantity of posts you get out of the trip.

To better appreciate your vacation time, you’d better give yourself one day to recover before returning to work after a vacation. This allows your body and mind to adjust to being back home and getting back into your work routine. You want to go on vacation to recharge, so don’t overcrowd your schedule with late night or early morning activities. Make sure you rest and get plenty of sleep. It’s okay to schedule a lazy day during your vacation when you can sleep. However, don’t overdo it. Try to fit in the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise and if you don’t exercise take this as an opportunity to start a new habit.

A Visit to the China Grand Canal Museum