This article will explore three strategies for relaxing on vacation.
Professional abilities like leadership, grit, collaboration, and communication are absolutely invaluable when it comes to building a successful career. But they’ll only get you so far if you aren’t willing to give your body, mind and soul time to recoup and recharge.
Recent research has found that, in addition to incredible work ethic, being able to create vacation time in your schedule and unplug from work while you’re taking a holiday are important aspects of a thriving career.
The Globe and Mail’s Stephanie Chan explains that one out of four workers do not plan to take their full vacation this year – of these people, 40% cite fear of work piling up on their desk as the reason for not exercising their full allotment of holiday time. A recent Expedia survey suggests that Americans leave half a billion vacation days unused every year.
According to Fast Company’s Lisa Evans, taking a vacation can actually make you better at your job.“Travel can be akin to taking a course in a new subject, providing an opportunity to flex the mind and create new opportunities for new learning, new ideas, and stimulating new neuron connections,” says Evans.
But while most agree good vacations are valuable, its important to make sure your holiday isn’t doing more harm than good. The Harvard Business Review’s Shawn Achor, argues that not all vacations are created equal and some can actually increase stress. “The less the stress, the more likely you will experience a positive benefit from the time off,” says Achor. “A positive, well-managed vacation can make you happier and less stressed, and you can return with more energy at work and with more meaning in your life.”
Needless to say, vacations – great vacations – are important for your wellbeing, creativity and career success – so get over how important you think you are and actually unplug from work when you take a holiday. Here are Mike, Kurt and my three strategies for truly relaxing vacations.
John says “Go Outside!”
My best vacation advice is to make absolutely sure that some – or all – of your holiday happens outside in nature. The David Suzuki Foundation and Psychology Today have found that even a little bit of time spent in nature boosts a person’s health and well-being and that the more time participants in the study spent in nature, the healthier they became. So, choose dirt over concrete, trees over skyscrapers, hiking boots over high-heels, trade drinks-on-the-patio for drinks-by-the-campfire and relax by spending a day or a weekend unplugged in nature.
Kurt says “Be Active!”
If you are like me and constantly checking email, the idleness of vacation might result in you being connected to the office. For me, one of the most important things I’ve learned about a good vacation is the importance of being active and engaged throughout it. This might mean an experiential vacation like riding your bike to a new destination or a stay at home vacation where you’re aiming to read half a dozen books and cook up a terrific new recipe from your Jamie Oliver cookbook every evening. But whatever it is, if you’re like me, make sure you’re too busy with your vacation to get distracted by your job.
Michael says “Learn Something!”
Learn how to do something new, or learn something about yourself, about wherever you’re vacationing, or what you’re drinking and eating wherever you happen to be. You’re in a constant state of focused learning at work, hemmed in by the boundaries of your role and organization. Your vacation is a chance to escape those boundaries by trying something totally different. Consider learning how to unplug, meditate, or be mindful and present without needing constant activity to keep you from falling into work (Hi Kurt!) There are reams of benefits to be gained from practicing mindfulness and there’s not better time to start than when you don’t actually have to react to the myriad pressures or conflicts present within your work environment.
This is our team’s best advice for relaxing while on vacation. How do you relax on holiday?