I was on the verge of burnout, so I took the plunge, booked tickets to Seoul, and ran from work responsibilities for a “week.”
Taking an extended leave comes at a price. So here are some do’s and don’t that may help you recharge and reset if you’re about to burn out:
1. Do Step Away, Far Away From Work
Work had been consuming my day and bombarding my mind.
In the middle of work demands and backlogs, we tend to push aside things for ourselves.
I have been pushing aside writing, responsibly taking my dog out on timely walks, exercising after work, reading books, and delving into topics that interest me. Which may be why I have been more tired and unfulfilled after a long work day.
Even if they say I have lesser accounts to manage and service, work has been weighing me down, and I am exhausted. Check out how I have been feeling lately and the early signs of burnout in my post here.
Taking myself out of the house, out of town, and to the extremes of out of the country was the answer to breaking free from the cycle. Seems extreme, but it was what I needed to totally separate myself from the space and people that reminded me of my work.
A country I have never been to, a language I do not know, and a transportation system I had to learn all by myself was the answer to forgetting about the demands and needs of Client A and Client B. The project I should complete by next month and the reports I still need to finish were drowned out by the pressing need to get on my flight and the right bus or train platform to my hotel.
In four hours, Incheon was underfoot, and work was temporarily forgotten.
2. Don’t Work While You Are on Leave
Easier said than done. Seriously, don’t. Don’t fall into the trap!
Annoyingly, on the days of my flight to and from Seoul, I had to handle a few urgent requests- making me work even if I was on leave.
I had to travel 3 hours to the airport and wait for my 2 AM flight at the terminal. From leaving my hometown to waiting at the terminal gate for boarding, I was working.
After arriving at Incheon at 6 in the morning, all I could think about was getting to my hotel and finding a place to work.
Even if I was worried about finding my way to my hotel—like if the bus was better than the train, who I can ask about it, where I should convert my cash to Won and find the pocket wifi I ordered— the proposal I had to write for the request of a client was gnawing at my thoughts. This one client could have told me a week before that they were not satisfied with the numbers we turned over to them.
But no. At the last minute, I was in a foreign land, rushing to submit a proposal to meet them halfway.
Alone, without any proper sleep, I crammed that proposal right as I was allowed to sit in the lobby of my hotel (since I could only check in by 3 pm). The analysis took longer than I thought—sprinkled with small requests left and right— and I found myself wrapping everything up by 2 pm.
On the verge of tears, incredibly hungry and exhausted on the day I was supposed to explore Seoul alone, I ranted to a workmate while punching keys as fast as I can. (Check out my post here about work beginning to feel like a chore).
On the downside, I napped the rest of the afternoon. On the upside, no special requests came in after I shut my computer for the day.
3. Do Fill Your Days to the Brim—Walk Almost 20,000 Steps A Day
I explored Myeong-dong on my own, walking 15,000 steps that day just looking at all the available shops in that famous tourist spot. Losing direction each time I turned, I could not keep count of all the restaurants, cafes, cute accessory shops, and skincare stores at every corner.
Only after 3 days did I remember where stores were and how to get back to my hotel without the help of a map.
My brother and sister-in-law arrived the next day, and we explored farther into the beautiful city of Seoul with routes and events we did not expect.
A different site each day, pictures here and there, and food left and right. The holiday was jam packed. We compared how many steps each one took that day. Oddly, even if we were all using an iPhone, they varied by hundreds and almost thousands.
Busy site-seeing, learning new things, and exploring, work was pushed to the back of my mind.
I was too busy understanding the train system and looking through various skin care products or the local trinkets that my emails were an afterthought. I only bothered to check my phone on long train or bus rides from one destination to the next. If I was on my phone, I was busier ensuring I got off at the right stop.
Distraction in a different country was a beautiful escape from the tasks waiting for me. Sadly, this kind of distraction is tiring.
4. Don’t Return to Work Tired: Exploring is Tiring Too!
6 days are not enough to explore Seoul—stay longer if possible.
There were too many places to go and activities to do. Seoul is just a city in a country that has so much more to offer.
We were exhausted each day with all we hoped to see and try. Almost 20,000 steps each day is not a mere walk in the park.
Our feet were in pain, our muscles hurt, and my purse seemed heavier than it did on day 1.
When the last day in the city rolled in, the warm morning was bittersweet. We rushed to buy souvenirs for family and friends, stuffed them into our luggage, and checked out of our hotel. Myeong-dong still had so much to offer, but we were out of time and exhausted.
Homebound, the past few days felt like a fever dream. Now a vague memory lost in present reality with only a tired body and pictures as proof that it ever happened.
The Korean Pilot mumbled incoherent English over the PA system. We were about to land. Only then did the weight of going back to work dawn on me. Thinking about it made my body ache ten times more than it did that morning.
After returning home, I was too exhausted to get back into the groove of work. Dragging myself out of bed Thursday morning, I craved for the weekend and made excuses to work from bed.
The holiday was supposed to be a time of rest. I found myself physically exhausted and mentally hung over.
So here is a reminder travel slow, and have fun!.
5. Do Have Fun While You Are Away
In fear of getting lost, I always had some kind of navigation map open on my phone (if you are interested in visiting Seoul, Google Maps does not work there, get yourself Naver Maps—it’s a lifesaver).
I was constantly scared that I would miss a turn or get on the wrong train or stand on the wrong platform. I was nervous and alone in a new country, I couldn’t even allow myself to stroll through the streets without looking like a terrified tourist that was lost—and those retailers knew how to target lost-looking girls.
Only after finding my footing was I able to release some of my anxiety about eating alone, not knowing how to order, or asking for directions or help from the locals around me. I only appreciated the beauty of the peace and the joy in solitude exploration when I had company.
When I had company, personalities, and thoughts clashed too. Not to mention how our exhaustion took a toll on all the niceties. Gladly, the situation calls for a quick resolution because we could all get lost, and no one likes bunking in a room with an enemy.
The stress of new places, norms, and limited time can knock us off our horses, and we forget the point of an adventure. Dirt from a different land can also be dusted off and we can get back to the basics.
So remember to have fun, even if you are exhausted. Even if things do not go your way or your heart seemingly gets crushed. Traveling, meeting new people, trying new things, and eating great food are supposed to be fun!
Your time away from work is not only to recharge, but it is a time to get up and have fun.
Heal your burnout and happy travels!
Busyzi 
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