Contractually, I get ZERO paid vacation days a year. That is not to say I cannot take time off. In fact, my employer is quite accommodating of my vacation requests. However, when I am not in the office and not seeing patients, I am forfeiting any and all income for that period of time. Needless to say, that causes some internal conflict.

When I was younger, I remember someone telling me about the concept of ‘opportunity costs.’ They pointed out an example of how because Bill Gates’ net worth is worth so many several billions of dollars; that it literally would not be worth his time to pick up a $100 bill if he were to drop it on the ground. In fact, he called it a ‘poor investment’ of his time.

In the early part of my dental career, that same decision-making process always stirred in the back of my mind. Essentially, when I go on vacations, not only do I not bring in an income but I am also spending money on restaurants, hotels and flights. The other thing that weighs on me is that I work in pediatrics – so the times when it is usually most convenient to go on a trip (i.e. summer time, spring break, winter session) we are usually the busiest and therefore, the most productive. For these reasons, in my first few years of employment, I practically took no time off.

As time has progressed; I am settling into my career, my kids are getting older, and, more recently, with my health issues – I realize more and more how finite my life and time with my family really is.

I have said it before and I will say it again – I feel blessed to practice pediatric dentistry. Truly, I do not think any other profession could have brought me this level of satisfaction in my life. However, I work in a heavy Medicaid office where I am constantly surrounded by patients in pain from rampant decay, frequently get grief from parents about appointment wait times, and unfortunately, am often times immersed with a sense of hopelessness on whether we are even making an impact. Honestly, it can all start to wear on you a bit.

My family took a week long vacation last week to Yosemite National Park and a quick trip up to San Francisco. On our way back to Las Vegas, we drove along a small stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. Lots of beautiful sites!

In the weeks leading up to the trip, I couldn’t help but feel a little more pep in my step. Just planning for it, packing for it, and the anticipation of it made me excited and really gave me something to look forward to. Since coming back (a week ago), I have put in a request for even more vacation days.

My goal from here on out is to find that right balance between work and play. Admittedly, going in to work every day feels quite repetitious and mundane. However, it is hard for me to say that I have truly felt burned out by it. I never dread going in. I look forward to conversing with the families and my co-workers. Conversely, I do want more time with my family, and want to get out and explore the world.

I wish I was rich enough to leave $100 bill on the ground. Heck, I would pick it up even at the risk of my back giving out. Seriously though, I feel fortunate that I am now stable enough financially, settled enough professionally, and (thankfully) healthy enough physically to take some time off of work and enjoy life a little more with the ones I love.

I am always interested in what others experiences are, please feel free to agree/disagree and give me your take on things! Thanks for taking the time to read this post.