Increase your productivity and wellbeing by taking more time off

jumping womanHappy holidays are a dim and distant memory for many people, as fewer and fewer professionals take the annual vacations they are due and deserve.

That’s because, for some, work has become the new norm, the only thing that defines them, while for others, fear of losing their grip on the job, or even their job altogether, keeps them chained to their desk and computer. For them, taking a holiday is a self-indulgence too far.

However, vacations ought to be an essential component of your life, which you need to hold onto with every fibre of your being. In fact, if you don’t take holidays, you could be setting yourself up for both physical and mental health issues in the long run, with research showing that continuous hard work can lead to depression and cardiovascular disease. The old expression ‘hard work never killed anyone’ is actually far from true.

If you need any more convincing that they are a good thing, researchers have also discovered that taking a yearly holiday can cut the risk of a heart attack by 30% in men and by a massive 50% in women.

It’s not as if staying at work when you should be taking a break is doing your employer or business any favours. If you’re not giving yourself the opportunity to recharge your batteries, you’ll end up being less productive, as well as feeling stressed, unhappy and unfulfilled.

There is a need for wider recognition that not taking a holiday is a sign that something isn’t right, and not a badge of honour. So accept that it’s time to recharge and revitalise, to see life from a fresh and different perspective, and to give yourself the opportunity to be at your best in all you do.

Here are nine simple ways in which to do that:

Book your holiday

Make taking at least one good annual break a yearly goal. Or if it works better for you, take several short breaks. In any case, no ifs or buts, take responsibility for your health and wellbeing and decide to do it. Book your holiday early on so you can’t change your mind. Later on you’ll always find reasons why it’s not a good time to take a break, the year will pass, and the opportunity will be lost.

Start travelling well before you go

Get excited about your holiday. Start to enjoy it as soon as you book it. Dutch researchers have found that planning and thinking about the vacation we’re going to have actually gives us more happiness than the holiday itself! So make sure you don’t miss out on the ‘anticipation effect’ by ‘starting’ your holiday well before you go.

Learn to relax

When you do get away, give yourself time to recuperate, without feeling pressurised into filling your days with sightseeing, activities and trips out. Reconnect with yourself and you will know what you want and need from each day.

Enjoy the little things

Experiencing the simple pleasures in life somewhere different can be fantastically uplifting. So enjoy the slower pace of life, try new foods, or treat yourself to small luxuries that you wouldn’t consider at home, like a nice massage by the beach, an exotic cocktail as you watch the sun go down, or a leisurely breakfast somewhere completely different … A lot of research supports the idea that appreciating everyday things makes us feel grateful and happier.

Set technology boundaries

While you’re away, make sure you switch off completely from work and don’t let worries follow you in the shape of your mobile phone or tablet so that you’re still being bombarded with calls and emails. Empower others to take the lead while you’re away by letting colleagues know that you are not available unless it’s a real emergency. This is your time.

Take an audit of your life

Once you’re in holiday mode, reassess where you are in life. Being away from work is essential for this. When you disengage from the daily rat race you start to see things from a different perspective. Is spending 50-60 hours working, week in, week out, really what you want to do? What else could you do? Is there a way you can live at a less stressful pace? How could you get closer to the life you really want?

Plan for your return home

Even before you go on holiday and get back, find an outside interest, a hobby, an activity, something that maintains the benefits of your holiday all the way through to your next break, and lessens the monotony of every day life. If all you do is work, there’s nothing to draw you away from it. But when you have something else to look forward to, you have an alternative and interesting way to spend your time, and to give you a break from work.

Bring passion to your life

To help protect this precious oasis of time, try to see your weekends as mini-breaks, during which you do something other than work. Plan some excitement into your weekends by doing something you love. Whether it’s playing a sport, taking a cookery class or going for a long walk, the very act of choosing what to do will make you feel happier, according to psychologists at the University of Rochester. It’s your life, so make sure you live it your way!

Enjoy the benefits of quality sleep

Get a good night’s sleep, without intrusions or distractions, by making your bedroom a sanctuary, free of mobile, TV or radio.

I know that’s easier said than done, however sleeping soundly is the one small ‘holiday’ you can give yourself each day, away from the stress of your waking hours. Set a regular time to go to sleep and respect it – because there is always something else to do. Have a light dinner, switch off from any technology at least two hours before going to sleep and bring things into your bedroom that help you relax and feel good about yourself and your life. Make going to bed a ritual you look forward to.

Tomorrow will be another day.

maite baronAbout the author

Maite Barón is a multi-award winning author, passionate about courageous leadership, happiness and wellbeing. She is a co-founder of The Corporate Escape, which specialises in helping professionals rekindle their passion for life and reinvent themselves. She’s an international speaker and a regular contributor to the influential Huffington Post, Global Banking and Finance Review (GBFR) and Entrepreneur.

 

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