If You Had a Full Year Off With Pay, What Would You Spend Your Time Doing?

Some responders found this question difficult, as it really flexes the imagination to think of a year without work and all its responsibilities. Conversely, some sound ready to implement a plan this month. Some responses may well surprise, motivate or inspire you.

In this column, adopted from the familiar “Heard on the Street” format, we offer our responders a chance to answer the question posed in the title. These are their replies reported verbatim.

Travel? Projects? Volunteer?

This month’s question is actually an easy one for me. The first thing that I would do is take a month or two and visit Hawaii. My wife wants to spend time on every island. I figure two months should take care of that. Then, I suppose we would be headed to Iceland. Finally, I would head to Australia, since that’s on my bucket list (taking my wife of course). Then, I would make sure there is ample time for deer hunting. Any remaining time would be spent on more travel, possibly … or a nap.

Jon Shepard
VK Inspections LLC
Mercer, Pennsylvania

Geocaching and railfanning, all across North America!

Richard Strycharz Jr.
Walter’s Propane
Sunderland, Massachusetts

I think I would start with focusing on diet and exercise. Probably many other things as well, like some discretionary travel, reading more and knocking out some projects I’d like to tackle. Like most of us, prioritizing work, our teams and our objectives tends to make the focus on ourselves a lower priority. For me personally, I’m not looking for a rocking chair or sleeping half the day away with precious discretionary time; I want to make the most of my time. Having unlimited time would allow for taking trips on my Harley and reconnecting with some family and friends, and that would be time well-invested.

Boyd H. McGathey
EDP
Parkville, Missouri

I would probably try to do four things over that period of time. First, spend more time with family, as I have a daughter on the West Coast. Second, volunteer to help people through a group like Samaritan’s Purse. Third, travel and see parts of this country and abroad that I have not seen. And finally, I would work a little on my golf game. If I could balance those four things, that would be one heck of a year!

Tom Krupa
NGL Supply Terminals Co.
Richmond, Virginia

I guess I would take one week to sleep, recover and renew my relationship with God. Then, I would spend the next 51 weeks enjoying some time with God and spending more time advocating for this industry that I love.

Judy Taranovich
Proctor Gas Inc.
Proctor, Vermont

If I had a full year off with pay, I would definitely travel and see the world. Some places (I’ve never been to these places) I would travel to are Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany and London. If time allowed, I would try and swing down to Australia and New Zealand.

Sam Fung
Emerson Fisher LP Gas
McKinney, Texas

Go through my house, purge and organize. Once the house is in order, then I’d travel with my family!

Abby Thurston
Rural Computer Consultants
Bird Island, Minnesota

If I were given a year off with pay, I would use it to test out all the things I think I want to do when I retire! I would learn how to make all the fancy coffee and ice cream drinks because I think I want to own a drink trailer. I’ve been reading about people who pet- and house-sit all over the world and get to experience all sorts of new things, so maybe I would test that out a couple of times. I would enroll in a couple of college courses. And, of course, I would spend extra time with my grandson!

Tonya Crow
GROWMARK Inc.
Bloomington, Illinois

My primary goal would be to plan to utilize this ‘free time’ with a variety of meaningful experiences that would create special memories. I would first sit with my wife and determine what she wanted to do with our free time together. Then, I would start with the calendar and schedule as many opportunities to spend quality time with our children and grandchildren. I would create a yearlong calendar of family-focused recreational activities and events to attend and travel as much as possible.

Jerry Schimmel
P3 Propane Safety
Cumberland, Rhode Island

If I had a full year off with pay, I would dedicate some time to cleaning and purging every inch of my house. After that, I would like to travel to see friends and family I don’t see often enough. If I could convince my kids to take a little time away, I would want to spend as much time with them as possible, whether at home or traveling.

Lauren Clark
Berquist Inc.
Toledo, Ohio

If I had a full year off with pay, I would certainly knock off the ‘to do’ list around the house and make more time to spend with family, friends and the communities I am a part of. Oh, and I’d throw in a nice trip or two for my wife and me. Underpinning all of that would be spending more time reading and learning things. Come to think of it, this is exactly my situation as a newly retired person! Well, the pay isn’t the same, but I should have enough to accomplish most of what I just described.

Bruce Swiecicki
Consulting Engineer
Tinley Park, Illinois

I was raised by parents who sincerely practiced service in their community. They loved to cook, and I was brought up experiencing the practice of feeding people as an act of kindness and hospitality. I began to learn to cook at a young age and eventually worked my way through college in the restaurant business. In the process, I became reasonably capable at making comfort foods in quantities that would feed groups, small and not so small. If I could, I’d find places where I could demonstrate service through kindness and hospitality. I’d show up with everything I needed to provide a hot meal to people in need, expecting nothing in return. I would use my experience and the resources at my disposal in service to strangers, so that those people would be reminded of human kindness. Doing this would be its own reward, but I like to think that it might have a positive consequence that goes beyond a good meal. My parents have both passed on, but if I could do this once a week for a year, I’m certain they would know how profoundly grateful I am for their mindful generosity.

Josh Simpson
Little Kamper LP
Manteca, California

Dreaming Or Planning?

“Free time” for a year is a different concept than planning a long vacation or retirement. In thinking on this question, several seemed to consider that distinction and included a component in their response that had to do with the year-long span being meaningful. Naturally, the definition of “meaningful” is always in the singular mind of the individual author.

Take some time to dream or plan with your next cup of coffee.