The benefits of time off work

In a world where consistent overworking and putting off personal plans to ‘get ahead at work’ is still a badge of honour for some (things are are changing but not fast enough in my opinion), sometimes the idea of taking vacation gets shoved aside.

But the research and benefits of taking time away are quite compelling:

Sabine Sonnentag, professor of organizational psychology at the University of Mannheim in Germany, has found that our inability to detach from work comes with symptoms of burnout, which impact well-being and productivity.

Researcher Kyung Hee Kim, author of The Creativity Challenge, shares in her book that we’re facing a dramatic “creativity crisis,” with creativity scores dropping significantly, especially in younger generations.

Brain imaging studies show that doing nothing, being idle, daydreaming, and relaxing create alpha waves in the brain that are key to creative insights and innovative breakthroughs.

And research by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity, has shown that positive emotions—the kind we feel on a relaxing, playful vacation—make us more inventive and able to think differently about situations.

However, disengaging from work when you are not at work, she finds, makes us more resilient in the face of stress and more productive and engaged at work. Even a short weekend getaway can provide significant work-stress recovery, while longer trips can provide even more relief.

Vacations provide an opportunity for employees to recover from the stress and demands of work and sustain their health and well-being (de Bloom et al., 2009;Gump & Matthews, 2000;Strandberg et al., 2018).

Here’s another way to think about this…if you’re employed and you get a number of paid vacation days per year, and you don’t take them, you are volunteering your time for free.

If you’ve ever thought that ‘you can get ahead if you don’t take time off’ - then the research has debunked that. Those that took time off were more likely to get promoted than those that didn’t, because they were able to capitalize on many of the benefits noted above.

Then there’s the thought that, “No one can do what I can do so I can’t get away.” If you’re in this camp, go back and read my previous blog about all the ways you can plan to be away. I would say that you just haven’t figured out how yet. From mapping out your processes to teaching someone else to take over for you, to deciding to put things on hold or to striking a deal with another colleague in the industry; there are many ways to figure out how to get away and disconnect.

Disconnecting is the operative word here. Working from the beach is not a vacation. You may disagree, and that’s ok. Sometimes, it’s necessary, but if you never disconnect, are you truly creating a space where you can truly relax, embrace playfulness and step out of your daily routine?

Now-a-days, just like having a myriad of ways to stay connected, there are a myriad of options at our disposal to allow us to cut the umbilical cord between us and our work.

But back to the benefits of vacation….that clear-headed, refreshed feeling, the disconnection and the getting-out-of-the-daily-routine is the immediate benefit. What that translates to is greater creativity, motivation, productivity and fresh ideas.

And, dare I say…maybe you come back happier and bring that back to work with you. If that’s the case, guaranteed, your team will love it when you go away.

NOW is YOUR time…..to take your vacation.

Ariana