Need A Vacation?

As stress and symptoms of depression rise in this day and age, having a time for regular outings and vacations can give you some solutions to maintaining a healthy condition.  Many people plan a vacation wherein fast paced activities are planned everyday of the week. Therefore, the vacation often ends up being as demanding as the job that you left behind. A lot of people evoke the feeling of being crushed by the time they return from their holiday, and this is the point. In order to get the wonderful health benefits of a vacation, it is important for you to do as little as possible and set aside the time to relax your mind and soul that you need to replenish so you can return home feeling rejuvenated.

People who work for years without any vacation at all, even a three-day weekend will soon find themselves burnt out and possibly even experiencing minor and major health problems. We all need a break from the hyperactive pace of business.  The first thing to remember about vacations is the fact that life will go on. Companies rarely fall apart just because someone takes a vacation. We might like to think that we are the cornerstone of our company but the hard truth is that anyone can get away for a while without causing major damage. Other employees can cover or at least help with your duties for a short time. Often it is your own insecurity that prevents you from taking a vacation. You may be afraid that work will not get done, systems will fail and all the blame will fall on your shoulders when you return.
So to convince you to take a much-needed break, here’s a list of how vacations can benefit your health and mind. While relaxation and exposure to culture are obvious benefits, there’s a wealth of other rewards too:
 

1. Live longer
One survey found that men who took annual vacations reduced their risk of death by 20 percent. Men who didn’t take any vacations in five years had the highest death rate and incidence of heart disease than any other men surveyed.
 

2. Improve your mental health
A study by a major medical journal found that women who took frequent vacations were less likely to become depressed, tense, or tired. Women who rarely took vacations were likelier to have stress at home and sleep less.
 

3. Revamp your relationships
There are no fancy studies to back this one up, it’s just common sense. A real vacation is the ideal time to reconnect and revitalize relationships that have taken a toll from an on-call, always-on, and work-obsessed culture.  Eight to twelve hour work days and duties at home that take up much of your time can cause relationships to suffer more than one might like to admit.
 

4. Recapture your childhood
When was the last time you went out to play?  Without worry of someone calling or interrupting you. Real vacations let you recapture that feeling of childlike exploratory freedom. You can wake up when you want, go to sleep when you want, and eat what you want. Most importantly, you can have fun without worrying about the consequences of work waiting for you at the end of the day.
 

5. Gain self confidence
“Don’t put yourself on sale.” This is a great mantra from a financial guru, Suze Orman. While Suze’s target audience is directed to women, the advice applies to everyone. When you skip vacations, you put yourself on sale. If you have 2-weeks of paid vacation and don’t use them, you’re essentially working for free. By committing to a vacation, you declare to yourself (and to others) that you are important and deserve dedicated time for yourself.
 

6. Find creative inspiration
Most of the year, we live on a schedule. We eat at the same restaurants, see the same people, and experience the same environment. This monotony reduces the opportunities for inspiration and for new ways of thinking. By traveling to a foreign environment, we put ourselves in an uncomfortable situation, and allow our brains to think differently.
 

7. Become more productive
What? You can be more productive by not working? Yes. By scheduling two weeks of vacation a year, you force yourself to make the other 50 weeks more efficient. Your scheduled vacation becomes an award or reward so to speak. This means more incentive to eliminate distractions, work more efficiently, and get things done.
 

Explore your options.  A vacation will give you the chance to see new places and seek new adventures. Some may take a trip abroad and explore the wonderful things beyond in search of discovery. Others may spend their vacations camping and hiking in mountains nearby. Still others prefer to volunteer in an activity in their community. There are a lot of choices to pick from. Choose what's best for you and for your health. The goal is to get out of your stress and daily obligations and take care of you.

Leslie Escalante, PA-C is a National Board Certified Physician Assistant and owner of Balanced Health & Beauty LLC

Balanced Health & Beauty