Vacation

vacation

Summer is over, but that doesn’t mean that the travel season has ended. Popular tourist destinations look differently in the fall when there are fewer tourists and more cold days. While it may seem off-putting, the fall season offers discounts and exciting deals for anyone who likes to travel. World Tourism Day is commemorated each year on September 27, so what better way to celebrate it than by exploring new locations? If you’re already in the middle of bag packing and trip planning, here are a few tips on how to make your travel even better. With your cell phone, you can plan your trip, book tickets and hotels, plan sightseeing and lunches, and be in touch with everyone you want. You’ve heard about Booking.com and Airbnb, but there are hundreds of mobile apps that will make your journeys less stressful and more memorable. We’ve shortened the list to 5 essential mobile apps that you’ll need on your vacations, whether you go hiking or sunbathing. Splitwise If you ever plan to go on a trip with your friends or significant other, download the Splitwise app. It keeps track of your shared expenses and helps organize your shared balance and split your charges in a few taps. With Splitwise, you’ll avoid the confusion in spending totals and repayments and finally focus on enjoying your well-deserved break. iScanner Unfortunately, traveling is often accompanied by rush. Amid the chaos, you might leave your belongings at home, in a hotel, or on the beach. You can easily replace a hat or headphones with a souvenir at your travel destination, but what about a passport, plane ticket, or other essential documents? Losing them may overshadow your vacation and force you to change plans. But there’s a solution: create an electronic copy of your documents with iScanner! The app allows you to always keep your files at hand and access them with a few taps. Another iScanner advantage is the new scan straightener feature that removes scan distortions and imperfections, making your documents better! Maps.me If  you are fond of exploring locations off the beaten track with only occasional access to the internet, you’d better have offline maps installed on your phone. My choice has always been Maps. my app. It helps find the best routes, breathtaking sights, gas stations, and unique dining places. You can also use it to plan your route. Mark the places you want to visit so that you don't miss anything! Voice Translator App Whether you are planning a trip to an exotic destination or Europe, you should keep in mind that locals may not speak English, and you will have to communicate in a foreign language. You may try explaining yourself with gestures, but isn’t it easier to have a mobile translator like Voice Translator always at hand? The app can translate real-time conversations on the spot, and you can use your camera for instant translation of images, photos, and even road signs. Voice Translator App supports 100+ languages working in speech-to-speech and text-to-text modes. Vivino Traveling is also about trying the delicacies of the local cuisine. You have ordered a glass of wine for a hearty dinner and want to learn more about the beverage. No need to spend the evening quizzing your waiter who knows very little English. Use Vivino, an app that helps you learn more about wine ratings, tasting notes, and even suggested food pairings!

5 Mobile Apps You Need For Your Next Summer Trip

It takes a lot of labor to run a business. The majority of people who become self-employed do so to pursue a passion and have greater control over their time. But it frequently comes as a shock that company owners put in far more hours than the typical worker. When your firm grows, don't be surprised if you find yourself putting in over 40 hours each week. Even if your business may take up a lot of your time, you still need to make time for your family and support them. Business owners never really switch off. You could appear to be "taking a break" or "on vacation," but no one in the family of a company owner should buy such pretense. But what if taking a vacation—a true break when you don't think about work—for an afternoon, a few days, or even a few weeks would be the greatest thing for your business and your health? What Is a Shrinking Vacation? The desire for vacation is nothing new, but a trend toward fewer vacations has emerged over the past few decades. One truth is clear: taking time off is good. The causes of this tendency are too complicated to discuss in this piece alone. Recent research came to the blatantly obvious conclusion that vacations lower stress. A more sobering finding was that men who skipped vacation for multiple years were 30% more likely to get cardiac problems than guys who did take their vacation. And women who vacationed every six years as opposed to twice a year were eight times more likely to acquire heart disease. Why Should You Take Time Off From Your Business and Spend It With Your Family? Below are some of the top reasons for spending time with your families: It fosters creativity: It is more challenging to take a step back and develop original ideas that might benefit your company while you are immersed in your job nonstop. Instead of focusing on "how it can be," you start to live in "how it always is." Healthy breaks are necessary for creativity since they take you out of your normal environment and routine. This explains why we sometimes have our best ideas while on vacation, at a business retreat, or even in the shower. It boosts productivity: According to research, employees are more productive when you and your team have useful breaks. Although it may seem paradoxical, it aids in enhancing mental health in general, memory, and attention to the task at hand. It boosts morale: Attending to your team's needs boosts morale, particularly when a much-needed break is called for. The employees will be more appreciative if you acknowledge purposeful relaxation by taking time off, attending business training, or going on retreats. It also shows how important breaks are, how hard effort is rewarded, and how important it is to respect oneself at work. It inspires: It gives you time to enable you to get inspired rather than constantly motivating, especially as a leader or business owner. Reading, absorbing knowledge, and simply being in your life while taking a vacation might help you remember why you are working so hard. It avoids burnout and enhances health: Working at a high intensity with ongoing stress will surely result in burnout for you and your team. Even though stress can be beneficial in some situations, too much of it can harm your health and increase your risk of developing chronic illnesses. Burnout must prevent you from forcing yourself to relax. It's critical to identify it as soon as it starts to happen. Your health is all that matters in the end. Why Is It Important for Entrepreneurs To Take Time Off From Work To Spend Time With Family on Special Occasions? Success and self-worth should be measured in how well we take care of ourselves, just as much as how well we take care of our jobs and businesses. Knowing when to take a break and recharge instead of exerting excessive effort in all aspects of your life without a stop button also applies to your physical body. Although studies have proven that taking a break and spending time with your family increases productivity, for some reason, it is so challenging for us to stop, be present, and incorporate this into our everyday lives. These behaviors will eventually have an impact on us in some manner, whether it is in our relationships, health, or our employment. To ultimately succeed in succeeding in both your career and your personal life, it is crucial to reflect on the necessity of balance or lack thereof. Conclusion: Taking some time off from business and spending quality time with family and friends is very important for an entrepreneur. It gives you the energy to start your business again with high spirits! Moreover, as an entrepreneur, you should manage time to spend on special family occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays! If you have been thinking about this lately, then we have an excellent idea for you to make that special occasion even more special! Contact for creating professional songs that will make the moments memorable and leave lasting memories! Bring My Song to Life

It Is Important For Entrepreneurs to Take Time Off

The vast majority of Americans would love to see improvements in their memory retention, cognitive function, stress levels, and overall health. We know we’re supposed to eat well, get exercise, plenty of sleep, and take our vitamins, but there is also one key element that many of us are neglecting; spending time outside. Getting outside for just 20 minutes three times a week can bring huge benefits to our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Not only that, but it’s very often free and easily accessible. Sadly, Americans have by and large stopped taking the time to enjoy nature, opting instead for working long hours and remaining in a high-stress state, which actually does very little for our effectiveness and productivity. In an average 80-year lifespan, Americans will spend and less than one year socializing. It’s no wonder we are among the most depressed countries in the world. It’s pretty standard for employers to grant full-time employees 10 paid vacation days every year, however, even with such a small allotment, less than half of us even use those vacation days each year. 13.2 years working Compare this to the average of 30 paid vacation days per year in Finland, and it’s understandable why Finland is statistically the happiest country on earth for four years running, and the US is definitely not. The irony of all our hard work and stress and lack of outdoor activity is that, were we to actually take the time to step outside, destress, and stop being “on-call” for a little while, we’d be more productive, more efficient, and ultimately more valuable at the jobs in which we are so concerned with succeeding. For some of us, the stress of planning a vacation, or concerns about the cost are the main reasons we neglect this valuable choice. However, planning an outdoor vacation could not be simpler, nor more cost-effective. The US is still full of wonderful outdoor places to explore. They can be anywhere from just a few miles away to hundreds of miles, and they can range in cost to match our budgetary needs. From camping for free or a very minimal amount, to taking a “glamping” trip, which combines hotel amenities with the advantages of an outdoor experience, it’s still as easy as ever to get outside alone or with friends or family for some much-needed fun and downtime. It's time to take a deeper look at how could be the vacation you need in order to better focus and balance your life. exploring the outdoors

Why Exploring the Outdoors Helps Put Our Mind in Balance

Tips for navigating the poorly charted waters of “Unlimited” PTO These days, startups (and companies trying to be startups) are slinging around a lot of trendy perks including everything from cereal bars to gym memberships to nap rooms. The promise of unlimited PTO is often tossed into the mix as well. Most come pre-programmed with instinctual knowledge of what to do with a cereal bar; however, while infinite vacation seems incredible in theory, it can be difficult as an employee to squeeze maximum value out of it. homo sapiens There is a lot of content out there weighing the pros and cons of unlimited PTO, but most run-of-the-mill programmers, designers, product owners, managers, and so on never actually weigh in on how the vacation policy is structured. Once the decision is made, employees are often left to fend for themselves. Maybe you have recently accepted or are considering accepting a position at a software shop with one of them swanky vacation perks. Perhaps your company just started offering unlimited days off. Whatever your situation, if such a plan is new for you, “unlimited” may also mean “intimidating.” I have worked for a few companies now that have offered unlimited time off and here are a few tips that I have picked up along the way to make the most of it. 1. Budget and track PTO on your own To successfully leverage an unlimited time off policy, you have to remove the ambiguity of “unlimited.” When BaseCamp experimented with unlimited time off, they observed that anxiety because no one knew what “unlimited” meant. (If you want to know more about their story, read .) If you want the flexibility without the stress, pick a number on your own and then track how much time you are spending out of the office. increased It Doesn’t Have To Be Crazy At Work Whenever I have had the privilege of unlimited PTO, I always keep a spreadsheet where I log my time away. Being the data addict that I am, I also calculate various metrics like the average time between time off, rolling average per year, and other stats of varying levels of value. As a bonus, looking at a spreadsheet is a slightly less eye-gouging experience than looking at an HR portal that stole its design cues from the late 90s. But this all still doesn’t answer the original question. If you are supposed to pick your own number, what should that number be? Let’s take the concept of unlimited to the extreme. What if everyone took 364 days of vacation per year? Obviously, that isn’t going to work. Consider how businesses work: they provide value, customers provide money. At the same time, employees provide value for the business and the business reciprocates with paychecks. Stated differently, if employees don’t provide value to the business, then the business can’t provide value to the customers, and everyone loses. You can’t provide value if you are on vacation 100% of the time. Thus, “unlimited” doesn’t equal “infinite.” Let’s go to the other extreme. What if no one ever took any time off? The need for rest is inherent to humanity. This is why we sleep, have weekends, daydream, talk about non-work things at work, and have periods of time between being “in the zone.” Oh, and why we need to take time off. Always being pegged at the redline leads to burn out. Thus, “unlimited” doesn’t equal “nonexistent.” So, then, you need to pick a number between 0 and 365 days per year. 👍 OK, that range isn’t super helpful, so let’s look at some real data to help us make an informed decision. To get us started, here is a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2017. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics From the report: “On average, workers received 10 paid vacation days after 1 year of service. The number of paid vacation days increases slightly as tenure with the current employer increases. After 5 years, workers received 15 paid days on average. They received an average of 17 days after 10 years and 20 days after 20 years.” These numbers cover a lot of industries, not just software. The after average tenure for a software company is less than half of what you could expect from a “non-tech” company. This makes it a little unfair for a developer with skills in high demand. In fact, one of the reasons that companies offer unlimited PTO is to be competitive in markets with low unemployment and high-value candidates. Image from Hackerlife.co Check out this report of software companies from the Bay area. Simply put, developers move around a lot. For this reason, I generally budget my PTO based on my years in the industry, not just years at a company. I usually go a bit light the first year, but then start budgeting based on industry experience. So “unlimited” means that the company doesn’t set a limit; however, from a practical sense, there is always a number. You have the privilege of setting it for yourself. Poke around and do some research. Get to know what industry trends are both in the US and in the global industry at large. Budgeting time this way takes a bit of practice, but the rewards when done well are worth it. 2. Take advantage of “fungible time” The concept of the 8 hour work day is new, relatively speaking. For millennia, we humans have been doing work. Think for a moment about a self-employed hunter-gatherer, not a cell phone in sight, just livin’ in the moment. The work day is over when the right amount of food has been hunted and gathered. , and in the late 19th century, the US began to standardize on an 8 hour work day with other parts of the world doing so slightly before or after that. One thing led to another At the core of all such labor laws is the goal of protecting the worker, which I think is fantastic. But as any software developer or other “thought worker” knows, creativity isn’t limited to an 8-hour segment of the day. Some of my best breakthroughs have happened late at night, while driving, in the shower, or even literally while dreaming. This doesn’t mean that I’m amazing, it just means I’m normal. Depending on how your HR department has written your vacation policy, “unlimited” time off can also translate to “ time”. If you budget yourself 4 weeks off for the year, that means that you will work a rolling average of 8 hours per day for 48 weeks throughout the year. While it is a noble goal to never stay late or wake up at 3 am to put out a server fire, life is full of imperfections. Fungible time give the employee the freedom to put in a crazy week during a burst of creativity or peak seasonal activity, and then become scarce for a few days. fungible Over the span of a few weeks, you should keep your rolling average at roughly 8 hours per day. If you work more, you get burned out. If you work less, you should be counting days as “vacation” days. On my spreadsheet, I log “negative” time off for weeks where I spend extra time at the office or stay up late hammering out a work project. That makes it easy to determine if and when I should take a calculated half-day or two when reasonable. One last thing to note is to move work forward, not backward. In other words, don’t skimp out on work while making a mental note to work harder next week. This only adds unnecessary pressure. Don’t borrow time from the future, enjoy spending time from the past. 3. You have to understand business needs and priorities Everything up to this point has been relatively agnostic of context. But the reality is that employees are part of a larger team with its own set of needs and priorities. “Unlimited” time off isn’t a license to bail when company deadlines start approaching. Part of the value of flexible vacation policies is how they motivate employees to understand how their day-to-day work fits in with the business as a whole. Take advantage of this. Get to know people outside of your department. Understand what their challenges are. I was talking with a coworker from sales just the other day. As we near the end of the year, the technology side of the house is focused on keeping all systems purring along as usual as various members of the team take well deserved time off. I never really thought about the challenges that sales faces while trying to close deals while their prospects take well deserved time off. If you understand how your company works, it becomes a lot easier to know when you are genuinely needed and when you can slip away. A side effect of that knowledge is that you not only gain a better understanding of you should be working but you should be doing. when what Knowing what makes the company tick is always a good thing, but how does one figure that out. If you want to pop the hood and see how a company works, just follow the money. Who are the customers? Why do they buy from us? What products are they asking for? Why do they leave us for someone else? How are we investing cash inside the company? What infrastructure are we buying? What services do we purchase to make the company work? Who invests in our company and why? These are all questions that developers don’t naturally ask, but they pull back the fog of war that often covers business needs and priorities. 4. Think about it as “Employee owned” rather than “unlimited” I think there is an annual prize for the most oversold perks. For example, one place I worked boasted a “kitchen stocked with snacks!” which turned out to be a crusty little fridge with a half-full tub of freezer-burned ice cream. Or “unlimited free coffee!” which was just the world’s OKest Keurig. “Unlimited” is a great way to trump up a flexible vacation plan in a way that appeals to potential candidates. All things being equal if I had to choose between an “unlimited cereal bar” and a “competitive cereal bar” I would definitely choose the unlimited one hands down even though I, like most people, can’t actually consume unlimited cereal. The unlimited cereal bar at Pixar Animation Studios At this point in my life, I have moved out, grown up, and in general know how to live life without supervision. When offered unlimited cereal, I don’t gorge myself until I’m sick. Maybe back in junior high, I would have eaten myself into a Fruit Loop™ coma, but those days are behind me. The same principles that apply to prudent consumption of snacks also apply to reasonable consumption of time off. You don’t need to be told how much “unlimited” coffee you can consume throughout the day, why should you need to be told how much PTO is appropriate? Personal needs are going to be different for everyone, and it would be weird if the company set hard and fast limits. It’s something that the individual employee needs to be able to own and self-manage. If your employer has entrusted you with the privilege of unlimited vacation, don’t break their trust. If you have never had to manage your own PTO limits before, this may be difficult. If so, there is no shame in asking for help. Talk to a coworker or manager about what they do and start there. Then feel free to adapt as you get into the groove. 5. Use It! Lastly, it turns out that . One theory is that employees are afraid to step over the line, but don’t always know where that line is. The result is being overly cautious and taking less time off. employees with unlimited paid time off actually spend more time at the office that those with traditional PTO plans To combat this, as I mentioned before, set a PTO budget for yourself, and then actually remember to take time off! Sit down at the beginning of the year or quarter or whatever and pencil some dates on your calendar. I try to be home with my family for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. We also like to get away for a week or two in the summer. The rest is days off here and there as life happens. If you don’t feel like you can get away without the world falling apart, then you need to reduce your . But, don’t wait until you’re burned out to start planning how you are going to take a break. bus factor Invest time to share your knowledge amongst your team. Part of this is learning how to . Sharing your expertise in written form keeps others from taking a direct dependency on you and your brain. When you’re not the only one who knows how to restart that one server without blowing up everything, then you feel a lot more comfortable getting away for a week or so. write good documentation For senior developers, learn to . As you become a more significant influence within your team, the value you add comes less from your own abilities and more from how you enable others. Helping others understand how to do your job doesn’t make you obsolete, it makes you invaluable. And it lets you escape when you need to. develop more than code This post isn’t intended to be a substitute for common sense or understanding your own company’s vacation policy. If you have questions or concerns, please talk to someone on your HR team. I enjoy being able to play a small part in helping developers and businesses treat each other well, and I hope that you found this information to be useful. If you have seen any tips or tricks for getting the most out of time away from the office, I’d love to hear about them. And as always, if you enjoyed this article, please feel free to give it a 👏 or two!

How to use unlimited time off and get away with it

When grew to 12 people, it became clear that we need a tool for managing vacations and days off. Using Spreadsheets was hard, and there were no notifications when someone’s vacation is about to start. We tried with a calendar, but it doesn’t give you an easy way to see how many days off someone has left for the year. Then we tried to to find a tool for managing days off, but most of the available tools were full HR solutions. For a team of 12, those tools were way too expensive and had a bunch of features that we didn’t needed. Cloud Horizon Google As our long term plan was to build a product, this looked like a perfect opportunity. So we decided to bite the bullet and build . Vacation Tracker _The easiest way to track your team's vacations and days off manage your requests and receive vacation reminders about…_vacationtracker.io Vacation Tracker - Manage your requests and receive vacation reminders When you start thinking about your new product, the path to your core feature seems clear and obvious. But as soon as you start the journey, the road becomes blurry and full of roadblocks. Most of the roadblocks are caused by side issues, things that your product needs, but that are not solving your core problem. Your plan vs reality (source: ) wonderingaround.me How will you manage your users? Simple signup and login aren’t enough. Users need to be able to reset their passwords, create teams, manage permissions, etc. Or, how do you manage subscriptions? Payment processors don’t always handle declined cards and retries the way you would. Also, some don’t generate and send an invoice. Most of those things are not hard, but they need time to be researched and implemented. Often more time than your core feature needs. Development time is expensive, but all those “side features” require more than a developer. Someone needs to decide how a feature will work and to write the specs for it. Also someone needs to test it before shipping the feature to production. This makes your product development much more expensive. One of the obvious solutions is to outsource some of the non-core features to third-party services. For example, social sign in handles user signup, login, and profiles. In our case, as is a tool for companies, Slack login was an obvious choice. Besides login, it also handles user permissions and invitations for us. We also use many other services, such as Stripe Billing and MailChimp. Vacation Tracker This saves a lot of time for your team, but your developers still need to do many things that are not directly related to your core feature. When a new feature is ready it needs to be tested, which requires some infrastructure. If you don’t have a DevOps person on your team (and as a startup you probably don’t), the developer is the one that needs to setup the infrastructure. Then, they’ll need to do the same for production. How do you even pick the size of your production server for your new product? It needs to be big enough for the spike you’ll get after posting your product to Product Hunt, but it also needs to stay in the budget. And budgets are always limited, because marketing is expensive but also necessary for the success of your product. The infrastructure for production is not just the server. Will your developers handle scaling, logs, and backups correctly? Remember that they were not hired to setup servers, and even a small mistake can cost you a lot. Would you ask a plumber to fix your home electricity issues? Wouldn’t it be great to outsource the infrastructure the same way you outsourced payment processing? Wouldn’t it be great to let your developers focus on the business logic of your core features? Well, there is a way to do that. Its name is a bit controversial: servereless. But behind the controversial name is a simple but powerful idea: you care about your business logic and the service provider handles the infrastructure, including setup and scaling. Even more important is its pricing model, because with serverless you pay only for used capacity, not for reserved capacity. Five ways serverless helps your startup Even through serverless is directly related to the infrastructure, your startup can benefit from it in many different ways, including: Managed infrastructure Pay per use Real reusability Easier changes and pivoting Faster development cycles Let’s dive into each of them. Managed infrastructure First and the most obvious benefit of serverless is the managed infrastructure. Your developers can focus on your business logic, and the service provider will handle the infrastructure. How does that work? Your system is split into functions (or micro services), and each function is triggered by a specific event. Let’s say that you have a new payment from your user. That event triggers the function that processes the payment, and then the confirmation triggers another function that generates and sends the invoice. Your developers don’t need to setup a new server, or worry about doing security updates and patches. Instead, they just write functions and deploy them to a serverless environment using some of the popular frameworks, such as , or . Claudia.js AWS SAM Serverless Framework Your functions run only when a specific event occurs. For example, when the system receives a new payment from the user. And even more importantly, your provider is doing all the scaling and patches for you. That means that sudden spikes in your products usage will be handled automatically by your provider. security Pay per use One of the biggest game changers is the economy of serverless architecture. Besides managed infrastructure, with serverless you pay for used instead of reserved capacity. What does that mean? It’s simple: if no one is using your application, it costs you $0. If you have a big burst of a few hundred users for a few minutes, you’ll pay only for those few minutes. This is a huge benefit. Before cloud computing we planned and reserved capacity for a few months in advance. Cloud computing brought that time down to a few minutes. And serverless goes a step further and charges us for 100ms of usage, without the need to reserve any capacity. Is serverless cheaper? Serverless functions cost $0.20 for 1,000,000 requests, with the first million requests free each month. A request is 100ms of function execution. Comparing the price per 100 ms, it’s probably not cheaper than the traditional cloud server. But your server never works at full capacity, and in the best case scenario at least 50% of server capacity and cost are wasted. Because of less waste, serverless is much cheaper in practice. It is so much cheaper that you can ! pay only $107 to serve 400,000 monthly active users Real reusability With serverless, your application is split into smaller parts. You can think of them as micro services. All these micro services communicate through events or HTTP requests. In practice, this means that you’ll have a service such as image resizing separated from upload and other image related functionalities. As many of those functionalities are used on most projects, this means that you’ll be able to fully reuse the image resizing service on your next project. How does that work in practice? Since is a serverless application, it’s billing functionality is connected to Stripe Billing. But as it is a separate service, we simply need to deploy our billing service to our next product, and to write its bindings to the product database. By doing that we can save 95% of development time for the billing feature of our next product. Vacation Tracker Easier changes and pivoting As your application is split into a bunch of services, it’s much easier to refactor the code. Yes, that word sounds scary, but it shouldn’t be. The same way your car requires scheduled service, your application requires to be maintained and refactored. Refactoring is scary because often changing one part of the app can break some other services. But with isolated services, as long as you don’t break the way the service communicates with other services, your changes will not affect anything else. Besides refactoring, those services are allowing you to make changes to your product faster. As we all know, startups are often unpredictable, and sometimes the market forces you to pivot fast. With serverless, you can do faster changes, and you can even easily do A/B tests. For example, you can deploy a new version of a service and drive 10% of traffic to that new version. If it works you can slowly increase the traffic, until it gets 100% of it. If it doesn’t you can just shut it down without affecting the rest of your user base. Faster development cycles The last benefit that we’ll mention in this list are faster development cycles. Does it mean that you can build your startup faster with serverless? Well, maybe. Building products is much more than software development, and serverless can help you with some parts, but not with everything. From our experience, bottlenecks are often somewhere else. For example specifications are not ready or they doesn’t exist, business logic is not well thought out, etc. But, with serverless you can at least have faster development cycles. First, your developers need to focus only on their job, they don’t need to think about the infrastructure and deployment. But they also can reuse existing services. There’s even a for serverless apps on AWS. You can go there and with a few clicks get system parts that someone else built. For free! Serverless Application Repository How Vacation Tracker uses serverless At , we use serverless a lot. Our app is almost fully serverless, with the exception of a few services that will be serverless soon. We host it on AWS and, at the moment, the application infrastructure costs us $0 (excluding the cost of the tools that we are using, such as MailChimp). Vacation Tracker Vacation Tracker has a few groups of services, and each group has a few AWS Lambda functions and a bunch of other AWS services. Four of the most important groups are: The Slack bot services group covers Slack webhooks, slash command, etc. The API services group covers RESTful API, and includes API Gateway and AWS Lambda services. The billing services group covers billing and invoicing. We use Stripe Billing, but this service builds a whole ecosystem around it. The notification services group covers different notifications we are sending, including a weekly Slack summary of who is off, etc. Our architecture looks like the diagram below: Vacation Tracker architecture Conclusion Serverless architecture improves the way we build software. But it’s much more than just development, because it can improve the way we are building our products in general. With serverless, your developers can focus on the business logic implementation, instead spending a lot of time on setting up and maintaining infrastructure. It also decreases the cost of your application, because it converts capital to operating expenses. Besides that, having smaller services allows you to implement changes and A/B tests easier, and to pivot faster. With all the benefits mentioned above, serverless becomes more than the architecture choice, it becomes an important strategy. For example, it can allow you to charge teams per active user, without having to be a big company, such as Slack. Of course, everything has its downsides. We’ll cover the most important limitations of serverless architecture in some of our next articles. Make sure you don’t miss it by subscribing to our mailing list at . vacationtracker.io Originally published at vacationtracker.io on July 25, 2018.

How your startup can benefit from serverless

Take a Vacation and non-negotiables are important for me. They should be important for you, too. My biggest non-negotiable is time with family. Starting this week, I’m continuing the annual tradition of going on with my family. Traditions vacation Vacations Create Anchors Traditions are important to any family because they are anchors. These anchors tie the family together. There’s less drift. There’s less turmoil. An anchor keeps you in the place you need to be — both literally and figuratively. I tend to run at a very high RPM. This is my time to turn it down, recoup and relax (as much as a stereotypical Type-A possibly can). Why you shouldn’t feel bad about taking a vacation I used to feel bad about taking vacations. But I don’t anymore, and you shouldn’t either. Here’s why: Less Stress: A study by the concluded that vacations reduce stress. Similarly, a Canadian study of nearly 900 lawyers found that taking vacations helps alleviate job stress. American Psychological Association Better Health: found people who took vacations were 32 percent less likely to die from heart disease than their counterparts who skipped vacations. The American Journal for Medicine More Productivity: found that people who took vacations were more productive. If an accounting firm saw value in vacations, I don’t know who could argue with that! An E&Y study Higher Performance: Athletes perform better with more rest (getting more rest for basketball players). I’ll perform better with more rest. even leads to better shooting percentages I take a vacation so I can be a better version of myself for you, my family and friends. You should never be upset with someone who is trying to be less stressed, healthier, more productive and have higher performance. And if you’re like the average American, of paid vacation to be more stressed, less healthy, less productive and perform worse. you’re sacrificing 9.2 days every year Be a better version of yourself. Take a vacation. If you need me, I’ve still got an incredible team that is here to help. Mahalo. Originally published at dandoadvisors.com on May 22, 2017.

4 Scientific Studies That Prove All Leaders Need a Break

Like an invading army, the popular kids at my middle school would spread across the halls in the morning wearing Starter jackets like this: Things changed in high school when Ted from Oregon arrived. He was so exotic to us midwestern kids: rather than an expensive jacket, he wore faded t-shirts. He wore flip flops vs. expensive Nike Airs. Sometimes his hair was a mess. Ted became popular because he was a nice, smart, fun guy — not for expensive clothes. Foosball tables, scooters, and kegerators: you can’t buy your way to cool It’s intimidating to start a self-funded business, show up at a cool startup office for a meetup, and think: “My God, they have a Sub-Zero fridge full of La Croix. How can I compete with that?” What follows are some suggestions for perks based on what works at . Anyone can implement these: they don’t cost any money. They are soft on the surface, but universally embraced. I like to think Ted from Oregon might like these. Scout Three $0 Perks : smart, motivated folks like to know they will rise or fall based on their own merits. Let your employees answer the following question: “what’s your vision for your work over the next 3 months?”. You’ll knowing your employees are thinking about their time at a macro level, just like you. Autonomy love : the word is out — — but the freedom for doctor appointments, picking up kids from school, etc. makes a huge difference in the day-to-day life of our employees. Unlimited PTO unlimited vacation time is a scam : On Friday afternoons, we have our own company-wide meetup (aka Social Coding). Most of our employees have young kids, and it’s difficult for them to find time to attend meetups in the evenings. The golden rule of Social Coding: no work references. It’s about learning new things. Internal Meetups Now, more than ever The superficial startup perks offered today are a bit like showing up with a Starter jacket 5 years late: everyone, even the company offering them, knows they are following the crowd. Don’t be afraid to be authentic: great folks will appreciate it. What are your favorite cheap perks?

Are you even startup-ing if you don’t have a foosball table?

In today's digital age, technology has transformed the way we live and work, leading to excessive use that can take a toll on our mental and physical health. However, wellness retreats provide a much-needed break from the "digital grind," offering an opportunity to disconnect, recharge, and prioritize mental and physical health. Wellness retreats are immersive experiences that focus on delivering a general sense of well-being and can be tailored to different needs and interests. They range from yoga and meditation retreats to wellness and spa retreats, located in secluded natural environments or bustling urban areas, and can last from a few days to several weeks. Retreats offer a range of activities, from mindfulness practices and fitness classes to healthy cooking workshops and spa treatments, promoting mindfulness and relaxation. They can also foster personal growth and connect individuals with like-minded people. There are wellness retreats offering everything between yoga and meditation, hot springs spa, wellness sailing cruises, and more. Choosing the right wellness retreat can be a daunting task, but it is important to research and select one that aligns with your goals and interests. Choosing the Right Wellness Retreat Personal preferences, such as location, duration, and budget, as well as the specific programs and activities offered at each retreat. Some retreats may focus more on physical fitness, while others may prioritize mental health and mindfulness practices. It's important to consider your goals and what you hope to achieve from the retreat. Additionally, it's a good idea to research the retreat's accommodations and amenities to ensure that they align with your comfort level and preferences. For example, some retreats may offer more basic accommodations, while others may provide luxury accommodations and spa treatments. It's also helpful to read reviews and testimonials from previous retreat participants to get a sense of their experiences and the overall quality of the retreat. This can give you a better idea of what to expect and whether the retreat is right for you. Popular Wellness Retreat Destinations I went ahead and asked multiple travel and wellness experts from HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and Qwoted, and this is what they had to say. A yoga retreat in Bali, where I spent a week practicing yoga, meditating, and exploring the island's beautiful natural landscapes. The retreat was led by knowledgeable and caring teachers who guided us through challenging but rewarding classes, and the daily schedule allowed plenty of time for relaxation and reflection. A weekend at a hot springs spa in California, where I soaked in healing mineral waters, enjoyed massages and other spa treatments, and indulged in healthy and delicious meals. The peaceful and serene surroundings made it easy to unwind and let go of stress and tension. -Lieu Dang, Marketing Manager at Ling App The Best Wellness Retreat is hands down The Haven Wellness Resort & Spa in Panama. Reason is because it has one of the nicest wellness retreats that I always recommend is in Boquete, Panama.  It’s a boutique spa complete with a yoga and meditation studio.  It’s a complete wellness center.  They only have a handful of rooms with a beautiful scenery.  I recommend the garden suite.  I have hosted several yoga retreats here. And the best Yoga retreat is Himalayan Institute in Honesdale. The beautiful grounds there give space for you to retreat within and deepen your practice.  My daughters and I have gone on personal yoga retreats her many times, and we always experience some type of growth and revelation in the sacred grounds. -Steph Ball-Mitchell from Online Yoga School My name is Val Streif, and I work for GetMyBoat, a boat rental marketplace with a mobile app. Think "Airbnb," but for boat rentals and charters. Our mission is to make all types of on-the-water experiences more accessible worldwide. Regarding wellness, boating might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but you'd be surprised at the therapeutic offerings available. Everything from this plant-based wellness sailing cruise to the Bahamas to stand-up paddleboard yoga classes, to spa and massages on a private yacht, there are many wonderful, relaxing ways to enjoy the water on your travels in 2023. You can find and book these experiences right on your phone with our app! -Val Streif from GetMyBoat My number one spot for relaxation is Bali, Indonesia - Bali has a thriving wellness culture, and it's no surprise that there are many yoga retreats on this Indonesian island. The beautiful scenery, including rice paddies, mountains, and beaches, make it an ideal place to practice yoga and meditation. There are many world-class retreat centers in Bali, such as the Yoga Barn, Radiantly Alive, and Soulshine Bali. -Sam Helmy from PointsPanda Conclusion Wellness retreats offer a much-needed break from the demands of modern life and can provide an opportunity to prioritize mental and physical health. By disconnecting from technology and engaging in mindfulness practices, physical activity, and healthy eating, participants can improve their overall well-being and gain a fresh perspective on life. When choosing a retreat, it's important to consider factors such as the type of retreat, location, duration, price, and accommodations to ensure a positive experience.

Escape the Digital Grind: How Wellness Retreats Offer a Refreshing Break

Traveling is crucial in life because it exposes you to various ideologies and ways of being. In this Slogging thread, our community discussed about the 10 cheapest places to live in 2023. This Slogging thread by Valentine Enedah, Mónica Freitas, Teri, Sara Pinto and Marco Sullivan occurred in slogging's official #random channel, and has been edited for readability. Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:34 PM 10 Cheapest Places to Live in 2023 https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2023/01/02/quit-your-job-and-move-abroad-10-cheapest-places-to-live-in-the-world/?sh=6db7736a52a8 Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:52 PM Portugal Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:53 PM 2. Mexico Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:53 PM 3. Panama Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:54 PM 4. Ecuador Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:54 PM 5. Costa Rica 6. Spain Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:56 PM 7. Greece Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:56 PM 8. France Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:57 PM 9. Thailand Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:58 PM 10. Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:58 PM Italy Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:58 PM Mónica Freitas has already given spoilers for Portugal.😂 Sara Pinto Do you agree with that? Valentine Enedah Jan 5, 2023, 4:59 PM Do you agree with this list? Teri Jan 5, 2023, 11:29 PM I have not lived outside of Africa but Portugal seems interesting or somewhere in the Americas. 💚 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 6, 2023, 8:27 AM Teri Nice one! Do you have any specific places in these countries you would love to visit? Teri Jan 6, 2023, 8:31 AM I have done 3 countries in Africa but if I'm to choose, I would go for Portugal or Spain, Thailand, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. Valentine Enedah Jan 6, 2023, 8:33 AM Teri Good one! Four of these countries are good at soccer. Is there anything I am missing?😂 😂 1 Mónica Freitas Jan 9, 2023, 6:34 PM I read Portugal and closed the link 😂 It's only cheap for foreigners unfortunately Teri Portugal is beautiful for sure. Valentine Enedah sorry mate! Portugal is a great place to visit on a budget for sure. We just don't have the best conditions for the locals - meaning we're poor ahahah 🔥 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 9, 2023, 11:43 PM Mónica Freitas I totally understand this! It's the same thing in some parts of Africa. The economies need a miracle. Sara Pinto Jan 10, 2023, 10:30 AM Valentine Enedah , unfortunately, I have to agree with Mónica 😂. Portugal is amazing, and I can't say it's expensive when it comes to food and leisure. The prices of accommodation, are the less budget-friendly ones! But don't even get me started on the population's condition... hahaha 💚 1 Sara Pinto Jan 10, 2023, 10:33 AM But from that list, I would LOVE to go to Thailand, Greece, and Costa Rica! I hear that Hungary isn't very pricey either! Which ones would you like to go to, Valentine Enedah? 🔥 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 10, 2023, 1:21 PM Sara Pinto Interesting! Can you talk more about the population situation in Portugal? Valentine Enedah Jan 10, 2023, 1:23 PM Sara Pinto I would love to visit Spain, Panama and Greece offcourse! Sara Pinto Jan 11, 2023, 9:38 AM Valentine Enedah, well, for starters, our minimum wage is probably one of the lowest in Europe. However, the living cost is only going higher, like in many countries. And the accommodation for the locals is worse than ever. Basically, it's near impossible for a person to pay rent and support oneself with only one income. So, there are no conditions for a person to live alone. :smiling_face_with_tear: 1 Sara Pinto Jan 11, 2023, 9:38 AM Valentine Enedah, but when it comes to tourists, we don't mind them. In fact, tourism is one of the main profitable sectors for our economy! And I guarantee you'll have a good time if you come to visit Portugal 😁 🔥 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 11, 2023, 9:39 AM Valentine Enedah Jan 11, 2023, 9:43 AM Sara Pinto Wow, that is not great. I believe the government should be working on making the economic situation. What are the rates of your currency to a dollar? Valentine Enedah Jan 11, 2023, 9:44 AM Also, I would really love to visit Portugal. Marco Sullivan Jan 12, 2023, 9:57 AM Valentine Enedah I would love to visit Panama cause I'm good at swimming. Mexico so I do the Salsa and eat some spicy food. 🔥 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 12, 2023, 11:18 AM Marco Sullivan This is a good choice. Do you know about the History of the Mexicans? Sara Pinto Jan 12, 2023, 11:54 AM Valentine Enedah, in Portugal, we use Euro. The current rate is 1 EUR = 1.075939 USD Valentine Enedah Jan 12, 2023, 2:27 PM Sara Pinto Wow, that's something. If you had to choose a rate favourable rate, what will you go for? Sara Pinto Jan 13, 2023, 10:03 AM Valentine Enedah, I don't think the rate is the main issue. But if I could change anything, I would change the prices of accommodation, whether it's rentals or homes for sale haha 🔥 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 13, 2023, 10:08 AM Sara Pinto Great choice. This should impact the cost of living in a positive way. Mónica Freitas Jan 13, 2023, 2:20 PM Valentine Enedah not sure what we can do as locals to improve economy but it is a weird reality to live in for sure - everyone else enjoys your country but you don't have the money to do the same 💚 1 Valentine Enedah Jan 13, 2023, 6:40 PM Mónica Freitas This is actually really sad to hear but it's no different from African countries. Teri Jan 15, 2023, 4:14 PM Mónica Freitas, it may happen this year, I may visit Portugal or in the future. It is already on my bucket list of the top destinations to visit and possibly live. 🔥 1

Are These Really Cheapest Places to Live in 2023?

Ever wanted to plan a vacation without having to worry about flight options, places to stay, or what to eat—all while saving money? Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is turning this wish into reality, sparking a revolution across the travel sector through custom experiences for travelers. From trip itinerary planning to handling traveler details, A.I. now can impact every step of the journey. McKinsey’s survey estimates that generative AI (genAI) could unlock between $2 trillion to $4 trillion in annual value across various domains, and travel is no exception. A.I. is empowering consumers to make informed decisions through predictive analytics, reducing the guesswork often linked to planning trips. Moreover, according to a recent report by Statista, 40% of US adults are already using AI-powered virtual travel agents for trip planning in 2024. However, as AI becomes a bigger part of how we travel, it also raises significant concerns about consumer data privacy and whether we're losing the personal touch in our journeys. A.I.-Powered Travel Planning: The New Norm? In travel, A.I.'s impact seems twofold. On the consumer side, A.I. is reshaping ways for trip planning, a fragmented and time-consuming process for travelers. Travel booking platforms including Agoda are already harnessing A.I.-powered machine learning to recommend and optimize booking prices for flights, and lodging options to its customers. Historically, personalization in travel has been a challenging issue primarily because of the low purchase frequency and customer data spread being across various platforms. Each trip often carries a different motivation, making it difficult for traditional systems to understand and predict customer preferences based solely on previous clicks. This is where A.I. models play a crucial role. “The real challenge lies in efficiently gathering this context from users. Relying solely on traditional interfaces to extract such detailed information often led to high user expectations not being met by the website’s recommendations,” Amirali Mohajer, CEO and co-founder of A.I.-powered travel platform hostAI, told me. “Today’s AI-powered language models are adept at capturing context and interpreting text. They can significantly enhance travel personalization by understanding what a traveler seeks in their next adventure.” On the other hand, A.I. is providing travel brands with a significant opportunity to enhance their online presence and direct engagement with consumers. Dynamic pricing recommendations by A.I. are helping hotel owners maximize revenue and occupancy rates. “By automating personalization, even smaller accommodation providers can now effectively communicate their offerings, potentially shifting the industry towards a new standard of direct distribution. This innovation could fundamentally alter how travel services are marketed and sold, making them more accessible and efficient for both providers and consumers,” Mohajer told me. Can A.I. Replace Human Travel Agents? Achieving a level of A.I. that offers the warm, personalized touch of a human travel agent is no small feat and involves overcoming persistent technical challenges within the travel sector. For instance, Air Canada's chatbot misled a traveler by promising a discount that wasn’t available. The chatbot assured the consumer that he could book a full-fare ticket for his grandmother’s funeral and apply for a bereavement fare afterward. However, when the consumer sought the discount, Air Canada informed him that the chatbot's information was incorrect. This kind of error, where AI tools provide inaccurate or misleading information, is known as "AI hallucination." Despite such challenges, many major travel companies are adopting AI technology. Last year, Lufthansa Group launched "Swifty," a genAI-driven business travel assistant designed to streamline corporate trip planning and booking processes. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model, Swifty can overhaul travel experiences for consumers — from planning and payment to solving consumer queries in real-time, all within a single chat interface. Data privacy remains another significant concern across various domains, not just in travel but in broader A.I. applications as well. Recently, Australian travel agency Inspiring Vacations was accused of exposing sensitive customer data by accidentally leaving its database publicly accessible. Totaling 26.8 gigabytes, the database included potentially sensitive information such as passport images, travel visa certificates, itineraries, and ticket files. "AI systems frequently encounter hurdles with reasoning and taking effective actions because of hallucination. This limitation might pave the way for a revival of traditional travel agents, but with a new twist: they'll be enhanced by AI," Mohajer told me. “For technology deployments to succeed, particularly those aiming to foster intimate user relationships like AI chatbots, building and maintaining trust is crucial. Users need to feel confident that their data is handled responsibly.” The Future of AI in Travel: What's Next? AI is no longer just a futuristic concept in the travel industry—it's a present-day reality transforming how consumers plan and experience travel. As technology advances, Mohajer believes that A.I.'s role in the travel sector will likely evolve into a continuous, personalized travel companion. This companion would seek out the best opportunities for future trips and enhance the in-destination experience by eliminating the common frustration of navigating a new place. “Imagine an A.I. system that finds deals and recommends destinations tailored to individual preferences, possibly even lesser-known locales that might better match your interests. This shift could mitigate over-tourism by diverting travelers to less crowded areas and make travel more affordable and enjoyable overall," he added. “The vision is to create a seamless, personalized experience that eliminates the need for endless searches and planning across multiple platforms—a challenge that remains open yet highly pursued by industry giants and startups alike" Ever wanted to plan a vacation without having to worry about flight options, places to stay, or what to eat—all while saving money? Artificial intelligence (A.I.) is turning this wish into reality, sparking a revolution across the travel sector through custom experiences for travelers. From trip itinerary planning to handling traveler details, A.I. now can impact every step of the journey. McKinsey ’s survey estimates that generative AI (genAI) could unlock between $2 trillion to $4 trillion in annual value across various domains, and travel is no exception. A.I. is empowering consumers to make informed decisions through predictive analytics, reducing the guesswork often linked to planning trips. Moreover, according to a recent report by Statista , 40% of US adults are already using AI-powered virtual travel agents for trip planning in 2024. McKinsey McKinsey Statista Statista However, as AI becomes a bigger part of how we travel, it also raises significant concerns about consumer data privacy and whether we're losing the personal touch in our journeys. A.I.-Powered Travel Planning: The New Norm? In travel, A.I.'s impact seems twofold. On the consumer side, A.I. is reshaping ways for trip planning, a fragmented and time-consuming process for travelers. Travel booking platforms including Agoda are already harnessing A.I.-powered machine learning to recommend and optimize booking prices for flights, and lodging options to its customers. Historically, personalization in travel has been a challenging issue primarily because of the low purchase frequency and customer data spread being across various platforms. Each trip often carries a different motivation, making it difficult for traditional systems to understand and predict customer preferences based solely on previous clicks. This is where A.I. models play a crucial role. “The real challenge lies in efficiently gathering this context from users. Relying solely on traditional interfaces to extract such detailed information often led to high user expectations not being met by the website’s recommendations,” Amirali Mohajer , CEO and co-founder of A.I.-powered travel platform hostAI, told me. “Today’s AI-powered language models are adept at capturing context and interpreting text. They can significantly enhance travel personalization by understanding what a traveler seeks in their next adventure.” Amirali Mohajer Amirali Mohajer On the other hand, A.I. is providing travel brands with a significant opportunity to enhance their online presence and direct engagement with consumers. Dynamic pricing recommendations by A.I. are helping hotel owners maximize revenue and occupancy rates. “By automating personalization, even smaller accommodation providers can now effectively communicate their offerings, potentially shifting the industry towards a new standard of direct distribution. This innovation could fundamentally alter how travel services are marketed and sold, making them more accessible and efficient for both providers and consumers,” Mohajer told me. Can A.I. Replace Human Travel Agents? Achieving a level of A.I. that offers the warm, personalized touch of a human travel agent is no small feat and involves overcoming persistent technical challenges within the travel sector. For instance, Air Canada's chatbot misled a traveler by promising a discount that wasn’t available. The chatbot assured the consumer that he could book a full-fare ticket for his grandmother’s funeral and apply for a bereavement fare afterward. However, when the consumer sought the discount, Air Canada informed him that the chatbot's information was incorrect. This kind of error, where AI tools provide inaccurate or misleading information, is known as "AI hallucination." Air Canada's chatbot Air Canada's chatbot Despite such challenges, many major travel companies are adopting AI technology. Last year, Lufthansa Group launched " Swifty ," a genAI-driven business travel assistant designed to streamline corporate trip planning and booking processes. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 language model, Swifty can overhaul travel experiences for consumers — from planning and payment to solving consumer queries in real-time, all within a single chat interface. Swifty Swifty Data privacy remains another significant concern across various domains, not just in travel but in broader A.I. applications as well. Recently, Australian travel agency Inspiring Vacations was accused of exposing sensitive customer data by accidentally leaving its database publicly accessible. Totaling 26.8 gigabytes, the database included potentially sensitive information such as passport images, travel visa certificates, itineraries, and ticket files. Inspiring Vacations Inspiring Vacations "AI systems frequently encounter hurdles with reasoning and taking effective actions because of hallucination. This limitation might pave the way for a revival of traditional travel agents, but with a new twist: they'll be enhanced by AI," Mohajer told me. “For technology deployments to succeed, particularly those aiming to foster intimate user relationships like AI chatbots, building and maintaining trust is crucial. Users need to feel confident that their data is handled responsibly.” The Future of AI in Travel: What's Next? AI is no longer just a futuristic concept in the travel industry—it's a present-day reality transforming how consumers plan and experience travel. As technology advances, Mohajer believes that A.I.'s role in the travel sector will likely evolve into a continuous, personalized travel companion. This companion would seek out the best opportunities for future trips and enhance the in-destination experience by eliminating the common frustration of navigating a new place. “Imagine an A.I. system that finds deals and recommends destinations tailored to individual preferences, possibly even lesser-known locales that might better match your interests. This shift could mitigate over-tourism by diverting travelers to less crowded areas and make travel more affordable and enjoyable overall," he added. “The vision is to create a seamless, personalized experience that eliminates the need for endless searches and planning across multiple platforms—a challenge that remains open yet highly pursued by industry giants and startups alike"

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