Ok let’s just be honest, shall we? We all spend a few minutes drifting away from reality each day, picturing ourselves on a beach, cocktail in hand and suntan lotion at the ready. Before snapping back to our work day, proceeding to complain all week about how exhausted we all are and how we are desperately in need of a weekend getaway!
But what have we done about?
Nothing of course. Well, nothing until right now. It’s time to sort out your next weekend getaway, and, in case you need any more motivation, we’ve compiled four of the best reasons for packing your bags and heading somewhere new for the weekend!
Putting your needs first is great for both your mental and physical health. Chances are you’ll be back at work more refreshed and productive than you were before.
How is this not a win-win?
1. You’ll Stress Less
Obviously, right? Well, at least it is to scientists and smart people in white coats. Researchers from the American Psychological Association believe that vacations are so effective at reducing stress levels because they remove you from the activities and environments that create all that stress in the first place!
The University of Vienna recently found that common complaint of headaches, backaches, and even heart irregularities felt better during and after a holiday, with the feel-good factor lasting as much as five weeks!
Time to remind our boss about that pressing pain in our knee that can only be cured by a vacation then!
2. Prevents Heart Disease
There really is a wealth of research on the good old interwebs about the benefits a vacation can have on your cardiovascular health.
It’s believed that men at risk of heart disease, who skip vacations for 3 or more years in a row are more than 30% more likely to suffer a heart attack, than those who take regular getaways.
Studies found a similar result with women, stating that woman who chose to skip their holiday for 3 or more years in a row were eight times more likely to suffer a heart attack.
These numbers aren’t here to scare you, but rather remind you (and your boss) of just how important a vacation can be!
3. Vacation Boost Productivity!
Ah, the never-ending rush to be more productive today than we were yesterday. Getting more done in less time allows us all to get ahead of our daily schedules and get ahead in the workplace.
The problem is, the more we work the less productive we actually are!
According to Ernst & Young, who conducted their own internal research on their employees, for every additional 10 hours of vacation time, their employees year-end performance increased by 8%.
On top of that, employees who took regular breaks throughout the year were judged to be less likely to leave the firm in the long term.
Another survey done by the Boston Consulting Group found that their top executives who were required to take time off during the year were far more productive than those who spent more of their time working.
It’s simple really…
The more vacations we take, the happier we are. Who isn’t more productive when they’re happier?
