I just wrapped up a two week vacation. I do one two week vacation every year because I found that I usually am still unwinding (thinking about church stuff) the first day or two, and when it gets to two days before the end of vacation I start gearing back up again. So, if I do a week of vacation there really are only about 3 days where I am completely free of thinking about "work". Especially without weekends off, an extended vacation has been important for us.
This year, I was able to get in the groove right away and with two weeks, I got a good 10-12 days where I was able to rest, relax, refresh, and be fully engaged with my family. I needed it. It's been a long season of ministry. I was weary.
But today I feel refreshed and ready to go. I want to be in ministry for the long haul. I want my family to love that I was a pastor, not regret it. These times away help me to stay fresh, help our family stay connected, and help me to be more contemplative.
Mark Batterson says something like "change of pace plus change of place equals change of perspective". What do you need to do to change your pace and place so you can get a fresh perspective? You are better for it, your family is better for it, (if you're a pastor) your church is better for it.
We swam, and ate out, and went tubing, and mined for quartz, and played in a pool, and went boating, and spent the day in Chicago, and traveled about 1700 miles to St. Louis & Hot Springs, AR and back, and read, and played family games, and didn't check email, and didn't post on facebook, and didn't go to church (yup - we slept in on two Sunday's in a row - one at the vacation spot, the other on a travel day).
It doesn't have to be two weeks. You might have 1 or 2 weeks of vacation a year. Maybe you can take a couple 3 day weekends. What do you need to do to refresh. To be your best at home, at your job?