John was a hard-working employee.
He worked long hours and was always the first to come in and the last to leave.
His colleagues and supervisors usually praised him for his dedication and hard work. But John, despite his hard work, never took a vacation. 😔
Sadly, although John was a dedicated employee, his lack of taking time off began to take a toll on him.
He began to suffer from burnout, and eventually, his performance also suffered due to exhaustion and stress. John's health began to decline, and he was unable to focus on his work.
His colleagues and supervisors began noticing, too, that he was fatigued, not sleeping well, and becoming increasingly anxious. They advised him to take time off, but he insisted that he was fine and kept pushing himself, believing he had a lot of work to do.
As a result, John's mental and physical health began to suffer even more, leading him to take an extended leave of absence.
Worse, after consulting with his doctor, he discovered that he had developed chronic depression, which he could have avoided had he followed the advice of his colleagues and taken a break earlier.
John's experience is a sad reminder of the importance of taking time off work to practice self-care and attend to one's mental and physical health.
We hope this never happens to you or anyone else among us again.
The Importance of Taking a Vacation From Work
A Psychosomatic Medicine study revealed that your chance of dying from cardiovascular disease may increase if you don't take a vacation at least once a year.
You thought you were just killing your joy by not taking a vacation, but you’re probably also killing yourself. 😟
Why go on a vacation? What are the benefits of taking a vacation from work?
Taking time off from work helps you achieve a healthy work-life balance and avoid burnout.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is caused by prolonged stress and has a lot of negative consequences, such as:
- increased stress
- anxiety
- depression
- exhaustion
- a weakened immune system
- weight gain
- heart disease
- high blood pressure
- increased risk of stroke
- insomnia
- difficulty concentrating
You certainly don't want any of this, do you?
You wouldn't want to miss out on the many benefits to your physical and mental health that a break from work brings, too, so avoiding those consequences isn't the only reason to take one.
Vacationing allows you to:
- Lower your stress levels
- Recharge your energy and increase your alertness
- Improve your physical fitness
- Reduce the likelihood of heart disease
- Stimulate your mind
- Strengthen your relationships
- Increase feelings of happiness and contentment
- Spark your creativity
- Lower your risk of anxiety and depression
- Enhance your concentration and cognitive functioning
- Maintain a healthy immune system.
- Make time for self-reflection and personal growth
How to take a vacation from work
How often to take a vacation from work
First and foremost, begin using your vacation time as soon as possible. Putting off your vacation will make things worse for you in the long run. However, when you should do so depends on a number of factors. Whether you have a family, what kinds of activities you enjoy, and how many days off work you have are all factors to consider. So, there is no silver bullet that will work for everyone. However, there are some targets at which everyone can aim.
Researchers recommend a vacation between seven to eleven days. This gives you enough time to let go of your work-related stress, relax completely, and achieve perfect calm.
For best effect, make day eight the most laid-back of the week.
Rather than using up all of your vacation time all at once, they suggest spreading it out over the year by taking several trips of this length. The more opportunities for rest and relaxation you give yourself, the better.
Take the steps to get your vacation time approved by your supervisor and file in advance, as required by your company’s policy.
Here’s an app that makes it simple and easy to submit a vacation leave request and have it approved. Watch this short video to see how it works.
Things to do when taking a break from work
When taking a break from work, it is important to plan activities that will help you truly unwind and get some much-needed rest.
Planning a Vacation
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the thought of having to plan a vacation, don't worry. There are lots of resources available online to help you. But here are a few tips to get you started.
Choosing a Destination
When choosing a vacation destination, it is important to consider the type of experience you seek. Do you want to go on an outdoor adventure, have a cultural experience, or simply relax on a beach? Once you've decided what kind of experience you want, you can narrow down potential locations. Also, consider the season in which you will be traveling. Depending on the activities you want to do, certain destinations are better suited to different times of the year.
For example, if you want to go on an outdoor adventure during the summer, try visiting a location with mountains or lakes. A coastal location in the spring or fall may be ideal if you want something more relaxed and low-key.
Similarly, if you want to enjoy a variety of cultural experiences, cities with festivals or historic sites may be more appealing in the spring and fall.
Whatever type of vacation you are looking for, there is likely to be a destination that suits your needs at some point during the year. Â Researching ahead of time can help you make better decisions.
Setting a Budget
It's important to know how much money you have for the trip because it will affect where you can go and what you can do.
It will be easier to come up with a reasonable budget that meets your needs or plan a vacation within your means if you plan ahead of time and research all of your options.
When deciding how much money to allocate for your trip, it is important to consider the costs of lodging, food, transportation, and entertainment. Include in your budget miscellaneous expenses such as souvenirs, taxes, and fees. If you are traveling to a foreign country, you should also consider visa fees, vaccination costs, and currency exchange rates.
Additionally, it's a good idea to set aside money for unexpected expenses. Having a contingency fund can help you stay on budget in case of unexpected expenses, preventing you from having to cut your trip short due to a lack of funds.
You can have a wonderful vacation without worrying about going over your spending limit if you take the time to properly plan a budget and consider all expenses.
Making a Schedule
To make the most of your trip, make a detailed itinerary of what you plan to do and where you wish to go. This schedule will help you keep track of your spending while also maximizing your time so that you can fit in all of the activities and sights you want to see. This way, you can plan how much money you'll need to bring for each activity and stay on budget while also making sure you get the most out of your vacation. To make a detailed schedule, research the attractions and activities that are available in the area, as well as their respective costs. Once you've compiled a list of activities and attractions, you can start planning a daily itinerary to fit in as much as possible while staying within your budget. You can even plan your day's itinerary using online mapping tools so that you can visit multiple attractions in a single trip rather than wasting time traveling back and forth. You can plan your vacation more efficiently and make the most of your limited budget by creating a detailed schedule of activities and attractions ahead of time.
Conclusion
We hope that now that you understand the benefits of taking a vacation, it will be easier for your HR or manager to convince you to take a break from work. 😉
Learn from John’s mistake.
Don't let yourself get burned out.
Be sure to take regular vacations to avoid burnout, which can cause a cascade of health problems that no amount of ambition or hard work can make up for.
Taking regular vacations is beneficial, as it not only provides necessary physical and mental respites from work but can also help boost your productivity and creativity upon returning to the office. There's nothing wrong with giving your all at work, but if you want to create a lasting impact on your organization and your own career, you need to take care of your health and maintain a work/life balance.