Take a Break: The Top 4 Reasons You Need a Vacation To Do Better at Work
Was the last time you went on a vacation, during your study abroad semester in college?
Have you built up tons of vacation days, but feel guilty about taking time away from work?
We get that learning how to take a break or go on vacation can be a bit of a challenge. Sometimes, all you can think about is how much work will be waiting for you when you get back.
But, the truth is you really do need a vacation to improve not just your work performance, but also your physical and mental health. Read on below to learn more about what we mean.
1. You’ll Get A Chance to Sleep
40% of Americans say they don’t get the suggested seven hours of sleep every night.
If you’re among them, then you might need a vacation to be able to get your sleeping habits back on track. It’s not about “feeling rested.” There are serious health consequences to not getting enough sleep.
Exhaustion interferes with your cognitive processing, can cause an irregular heartbeat, and leads to serious issues like high blood pressure, strokes, and even a heart attack.
Plus, you can’t exactly do your best work when you’re close to falling asleep at your desk every day. Taking a break from work and choosing a destination allowing you to sleep in a bit every day without missing too many vacation activities is ideal.
Just remember to resist the urge to check your phone for messages and emails from the office – and don’t set your morning alarm!
2. A Vacation Helps Ease Tension in the Office
A break from work also means a break from your coworkers. Though you likely get along with most people in your office, the truth is we all have that one person who just drives us up the wall.
Maybe you feel like they never take on a fair share of the work. Perhaps you’re frustrated by how long it takes them to implement a simple direction. Maybe you can’t stand the sound of their voice or the smell of their cologne.
Whatever the reason, tensions are reaching a boiling point – and you’re afraid you’re going to snap soon. Taking a vacation gives you some much-needed time away from the more difficult personalities in your office.
With a bit of rest and some space, you might find you’re able to be more patient with your difficult coworkers upon your return to the office.
3. You’ll Try New Things
Taking a break from work isn’t just about rest and relaxation.
It’s also about pushing yourself to try new things. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve taken on a new challenge at the office and you feel like your skill set is starting to plateau.
Exploring a new place, getting out of your comfort zone, meeting new people, and even doing something you’re afraid of are all great ways to shake things up. You might discover a new hobby or passion you realize could also improve your work performance.
You’ll be able to look at something from a new perspective. You’ll remember how to better adapt to your surroundings, think on your feet, and find new ways to communicate.
It might sound silly, but the truth is things like this can improve your overall work performance.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to do everything on your own. You can discover more hidden places about your vacation destination by booking a tour guide or even asking locals you meet to show you around.
4. You Remember Your Motivation for Working Hard
The biggest reason why you need a vacation? Because taking one helps you to remember why it’s worth it to work so hard in the first place.
From time to time, it’s normal to feel like work has completely taken over your life. Maybe you’ve been logging extra hours at the office. Perhaps you’ve been taking on bigger projects, helping your coworkers, or dealing with back-to-back meetings.
When your plate at the office is full, it’s easy to become resentful – not to mention exhausted. You might start to lose your motivation for working as hard as you usually do. You may also forget what you’re working for, and why it’s worth it to keep improving your skill set.
Taking a vacation – and treating yourself and your family – is a great reminder of what you’re working towards.
When you do head back into the office, you’ll likely find you want to work that much harder to plan for your next vacation.
Plus, those “good vibes” you get from going on vacation aren’t something in your head. Studies show the positive effects of taking some time off from work will last for at least two weeks after you return home.
Why You Need a Vacation: Wrapping Up
We hope this post has helped to remind you of a few of the many reasons why you don’t just deserve, but need a vacation. It’s not just about seeing the world and reconnecting with your family (though of course, those are awesome benefits, too).
Taking a break from work also allows you to “reset,” so you’ll come back to the office ready to focus and implement some new ideas.
Need more advice on how to improve your relationships and solve conflicts with your co-workers? Want to make sure you get the most out of every workday? Looking for ways to improve your resume?
Keep checking back with our blog for more advice on how to be your best self in and out of the office.