What do you do to "recharge your batteries" during periods of block leave like the holidays?

CPT Mike M. — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 07:53:46 -0500

We're all human. Under the right (or wrong) circumstances we can all "hit the wall" with productivity and need to have a chance to go into a mental reset. What do you do to help get yourself back into a productive mindset while on a long period of leave? Do you have destressing hobbies? Just like to do nothing and "veg out"?

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 6 at 2014 8:35 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 08:35:21 -0500

I'm a big fan of Archery, but on lazy days there's nothing better than a good book! And by book I mean paper, not them newfangled screens ;)

Response by SFC Josh Watson made Jan 6 at 2014 8:35 AM

SFC Josh Watson — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 08:35:34 -0500

I like to "get away" . Not check my email and only answer the phone or text machine when I know it's important (verified through a voice mail). Just concentrate on the important things like my family and my future.

Response by MAJ Joseph Parker made Jan 6 at 2014 11:01 AM

MAJ Joseph Parker — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:01:11 -0500

CPT Miller: Military personnel receive 30 days paid vacation a year for a good reason! Seldom do folks in the "world" get a vacation benefit like that until they've been with a company for 15-20 years or more.

Doing "whatever" with family has always been the best way for me to refit and rearm. I get to pour love into them 24/7; and they pour it back several times over because there are more of them than me. It's a great "deal to heal". If it's an actual activity, fishing works for me. It's not so much the actual catching of the fish. It's the quiet! No phones, no panicky subordinates (or superiors) running around in circles with their hair on fire yelling "What do we do? What do we do?". Just quiet waves and maybe the excitement of a child or grandchild catching something.

ONE HINT from a guy who travels a lot. When at a destination I always buy a metric boatload of picture postcards and colorful stamps. Then every night I take 10-15 minutes to write 5 postcards and mail them to family. Helps me from feeling sorry for myself and keeps family and extended family very happy. The cards are still arriving when I get home and it gives us something to talk about. Fellow vets: my children, nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters STILL have postcards I sent to them even 20 years ago from war-torn Rwanda, Angola, Mozambique, Zaire, you name it. To them those cards are treasures. To me they were 15 minutes of daily sanity during an insane assignment. Anyway, it worked for me.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2014 11:03 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:03:58 -0500

There's nothing better in this world than finding a nice piece of open land, and blowing away the beer bottles and gallon jugs you've collected through the week with some hot lead. Each trigger pull is essentially blowing away a trouble or frustration during the week. Lately I've even gotten the wife to enjoy it! Albeit with her wimpy .22LR Sigg Mosquito, it still counts.

Response by SSG Christopher Freeman made Jan 6 at 2014 11:06 AM

SSG Christopher Freeman — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:06:43 -0500

Well I just took 20 days of much needed leave to El Paso and it was just what I needed. the food is great and there is always something to. I even went skiing. For me, recharging the batteries is doing something outside the box, such as skiing.

Response by Sgt John Henry made Jan 6 at 2014 11:14 AM

Sgt John Henry — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:14:13 -0500

When I was on leave I would always spend quiet time with family. And old friends.

Response by Jordan Gaudard made Jan 6 at 2014 12:02 PM

Jordan Gaudard — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:02:36 -0500

Sir,

Very good question and kinda hard to answer. I try to split my leave between doing a good reset and visiting family. I don't know about anyone else, but family is as stressful as work, if not more but it is once of those necessary evils. As far as time to myself, grab a 6 pack of beer and get into whatever computer game I am into at the time.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Jan 6 at 2014 12:04 PM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:04:34 -0500

Take my wife and kid and visit my parents, not so much for my parents as I just loved walking around my home town at christmas.

Response by MSG Bobby Usina (Retired) made Jan 6 at 2014 12:09 PM

MSG Bobby Usina (Retired) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:09:29 -0500

Since I have been stationed in Germany for the last 3 years I find that traveling Europe has been the best thing I do to "recharge the batteries". Since it is just me and the wife we can travel easily and cheaply and it gets my mind off of anything to do with work.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jan 6 at 2014 12:28 PM

SSG Robert Burns — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 12:28:00 -0500

SLEEP!!!!!!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2014 1:04 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 13:04:10 -0500

Spend time with family, work out, hike/climb, sleep.<br>

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2014 8:14 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 08:14:28 -0500

My wife and three beautiful children. Stress doesn't exist when they're around; HA(!)well, it's minimal.