UPDATED MAY 2020
Ah, vacation. One of the best times of the year. Did you know that health experts deem the use of vacation time as an important part of one’s overall well-being? Whether it’s a staycation, long weekend, or that summer vacation you’ve been thinking about—a vacation is more important than you might realize. We all have our own reasons for needing or wanting a vacation each year, but we’ve narrowed down the five most important reasons to take one, according to the experts.
1. Vacations make you feel less stressed.
Everyone needs time away from the day-to-day demands of life, and most particularly, our jobs. Sometimes you have to step off the spinning hamster wheel of life and just stop. And you should! That is the only way you’ll be able to decompress and destress from these tasks. Work-life balance is a crucial life skill, and one that many of us struggle with. If you have vacation time, please use it. Don’t volunteer all of your life and time to your employer. You’re given vacation days for a reason, so take full advantage. Taking a break from your duties gives you perspective—and time to recenter and refocus on other things. You’ll avoid job burnout and come back better equipped to maintain your composure, stay motivated, and perform your job duties better than ever.
2. Vacation time improves your concentration.
Taking a clean break from what you do every day gives your head a chance to clear. Doing things that revive your creative spirit, give you relaxation and enjoyment, and allow you time to rest are all good for your mind (not to mention your body and your spirit). Once you spend some time away, you’ll come back with more focus and a better ability to concentrate on the tasks at hand. You’ll feel less distracted and more focused once you return from some dedicated time away from the every day routine of life.
3. Vacations help give you increased job satisfaction.
The workplace is a community effort. When a team member leaves for vacation, the rest of the team pulls together to get the job done. There’s a sense of community and helping out your fellow employee that boosts workplace morale and emboldens teamwork. When you know your team and your company value your time off, it helps give a sense of satisfaction rather than feeling that you’re overworked or even taken advantage of at the workplace. You feel appreciated. That’s the way vacation time should be. More vacation time translates to happier employees in the long run.
4. Vacations help you reconnect with your family.
When you finish work for the day, you may not always be at the top of your game mentally or physically. You’re tired. You’re stressed. You’re overwhelmed. Your family life takes a beating from long work days or stressful job demands that can rob you of the energy that you need to give and devote to family time. A vacation that is relaxing and enjoyable for everyone ensures that your family gets a reset and ample opportunities to share in some fun times and new adventures. Family bonding, better communication, and quality time spent together are some of the biggest benefits you can reap from a vacation. You just can’t put a price on those things!
5. Vacations improve your overall health and well being.
A quick Google search will confirm that there are many data-driven, science-backed reasons on the hows and whys a vacation is good for you. Practicing self-care and devoting time that will benefit you and your family both short-term and in the long run are investments in your health, your happiness, and in your quality of life.
An article from Time.com about vacation and its relation to health and happiness has this to say:
Yet the benefits of vacation are clear. “We know that taking a break is extremely good for one’s mental health,” says Susan Krauss Whitbourne, an adjunct professor of gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, who frequently writes about the benefits of vacation. “It puts you in a different frame of mind, gets you out of your standard patterns and can give you time with family.”
It also helps busy people hit refresh, in a sense. In one survey of 414 travelers, 94% said they had as much or more energy after coming back after a good trip, and 55% who had a low-stress trip returned to work with even higher levels of energy than before.. .”It’s good to just get out of the day to day drudgery,” says Whitbourne.
Now’s the time to start thinking about that next vacation. Remember, it’s good for you!
WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU NOTICE IN YOUR LIFE AFTER A good VACATION?
We want to know!
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