Studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and mental health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals.
Stress
When you are loaded with multiple pressures at work, your body reacts with the survival response of fight or flight. Sustained challenges lead to constant stress, which does not go away even when you go home. Being stressed prevents you from thinking straight and impedes your analysis and actions at work. When you take a vacation, you immediately reduce the stress in your life and give yourself the space and time to get back to work with a clear mind.
Health
Life is short. Don’t make it shorter by avoiding vacations. Reports say people who do not take vacations have a 21% higher risk of death from all causes. If you sit for long hours and have poor eating habits, coupled with low sleep and high-stress levels, hypertension is a given. Consider vacations as an enjoyable way to invest in your good health.
Productivity
Studies agree that if you don’t take vacations, your productivity suffers. Long periods of work without break lead to irritability, poor decision making, poor communication and relationships, and more days off due to ill health. When you go on vacation, you reverse all that and come back with greater focus, an optimistic mindset, and productivity soar.
Learning new culture
It can always be fascinating to unleash new experiences and people’s way of treating life. Being a part of something new is always interesting.
Family time
While working, you tend to compromise on your relationships, especially within your family. As work deadlines take priority you miss out on family gatherings and regular bonding opportunities. You cannot compensate for lost time and opportunities by waiting for retirement. Make up for lack of quantity by increasing quality and intensity when you take time off. Vacations are your ideal investment as traveling together is the best way to build relationships.
Learning and creativity
Science says that the human mind maximizes learning in resting hours. Hence all education is structured with adequate breaks. The way your brain functions is that you absorb and record information throughout your working day. Then, to use that information effectively your brain needs time off to process it, make meaningful connections with other learnings that you have and throw up creative ideas from these connections.