It’s never been easier to stay connected with work. Even when we’re on vacation, our phones and laptops keep us tethered. Most of us promise ourselves that we won’t check emails during our breaks. But we do. Being away from the workplace, and even in a new location, is often not enough to psychologically isolate. We may still be thinking about a demanding project we ran to complete or feel guilty for leaving others to cover for us.
‘Digital Presentism’
It may not be spelled out by our employers but having phones and laptops can create an underlying expectation that we are constantly available, even outside of normal work hours. This feeling of connectedness or “digital presentism” can affect our health by making us stressed, anxious and burned out. Turning off our work devices when we’re out of the office or on vacation can help alleviate these problems as well as improve and enjoy our non-work activities and relationships.
Right to Disconnect
Although right to disconnect laws were recently passed in Australia that legally support workers to switch off, there is already another option available to workers. Taking annual leave. Unfortunately, many workers do not take advantage of this valuable resource, with an estimated 160 million annual holiday days banked by Australian workers. One in five have more than four weeks of unused normal annual allocation.
Benefits of taking a break
taking a break Not only does it feel good, it benefits your health. A 2017 meta-analysis of 86 studies found that taking vacations leads to less stress and less fatigue during vacations.
So what do we do with all the extra time we have? More sleep? Do you exercise more? Studies show what actually happens when we’re on vacation. We studied the movement patterns of 375 adults during their annual vacation. We found that people are becoming more physically active, less sedentary and getting more sleep each day – all of which are good for our health.
Holidays can also be associated with changes in the way our bodies work. A study of 112 vacation makers who attended a wellness resort for six days in the United States found increased heart rate variability indicating greater resilience to stress.
Also, the odds of meeting metabolic syndrome criteria decreased with each break taken each year in the group of workers who took an average of five vacations each year. If you’re a man and still not convinced, there’s evidence that taking a vacation is linked to living longer. Do men who take more vacations a year and who take more vacations have a lower mortality rate than men who don’t? The The best type of break? Taking a vacation is only beneficial. Longer breaks don’t have more benefits and where you go is also important. A study of locations found that those who took a short four-day break in a hotel did not benefit more than those who took a break at home. Both groups showed positive changes in stress, recovery, stress and well-being.
In our study, the greatest favorable changes were experienced by people who took a one- to two-week vacation or spent time outdoors camping or hiking. However, positive changes were observed in all types of holidays.
Ultimately, the best vacation is the one that fits your preferences and budget – there is no such thing as a perfect vacation.
A break is good for your mental and physical health (Source: Pexels)
How to make the most of your next break
If you haven’t already, book some time and get away from the workplace. Here are five ways to make the most of the time: 1. Finish your to-do list and clear your inbox: Returning to work after summer vacation with fewer unfinished tasks allows the positive effects of vacation to last longer.
2. Get away from the normal routine: Try it Limit activities such as work (eg shopping, cleaning, computer-based tasks) and find environments removed from your normal routines and obligations.
3. Engage in “soft attraction” activities: Exploring nature is an example of an activity that gently keeps your attention while leaving headspace for reflection. These types of activities have been shown to provide restorative mental benefits.
4. Reduce Friction and Chaos: Don’t put yourself in settings of conflict (such as meeting a difficult family member), confusion (busy, unfamiliar environment) or stress (excessive travel and/or tight timelines).
5. Take more frequent breaks: Aim for more short breaks throughout the year instead of one long vacation. It spreads the benefits with longer lead-in times and longer comedowns.
The research is clear: vacations are essential to our health and well-being. So, if you haven’t already, book some time and get away from the workplace.
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