Taking a break from work is essential to recharge and maintain mental well-being. It’s crucial to enjoy your holidays fully to reap the benefits of this downtime. Stepping away from daily work pressures allows your mind and body to relax, reducing stress and preventing burnout. By making the most of your time off, you can return to work feeling refreshed, motivated, and more productive.
Prioritising mental well-being during holidays can improve overall health, better work-life balance, and increased job satisfaction. Remember, it’s important to enjoy your holidays to the fullest to maintain long-term well-being.
What are the benefits of taking time off?
Studies show that taking time off to enjoy your holidays can help boost mental well-being. Here are some key benefits:
| Effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Reduces Stress | Rest helps lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Taking a few days off reduces mental exhaustion, helps recover energy, and keeps us physically healthy. |
| Increases Creativity | Rest encourages artistic and creative thinking. Feeling relaxed helps develop new strategies and gain perspective by activating different mental areas. |
| Improves Decision Making | Vacations unblock the mind, improving judgment and memory. Relaxation allows for better information processing and analytical thinking. |
| Improves Productivity | Productivity increases not with longer work hours but with better time use. Disconnecting during vacations fosters job satisfaction and a better work environment. |
How to enjoy your holidays (as much as possible)
1. Plan ahead
- Set boundaries: Inform colleagues about your holiday in advance and delegate tasks.
- Create a to-do list: Finish pending tasks to avoid stress during your holiday.
2. Switch off from work
- Turn off notifications: Disable work-related notifications on your devices.
- Avoid checking emails: Resist the urge to check work emails.
3. Engage in relaxing activities
- Mindfulness and meditation: Practice mindfulness to stay present and reduce stress.
- Physical activities: Engage in activities like hiking, swimming, or yoga to boost endorphins.
4. Spend quality time
- With loved ones: Strengthen relationships by spending uninterrupted time with family and friends.
- Personal time: Take time for self-reflection and personal hobbies.
5. Create a relaxing environment
- Comfortable space: Choose a serene location and create a relaxing atmosphere.
- Unwind: Indulge in relaxing activities like reading, listening to music, or spa treatments.
6. Healthy habits
- Balanced diet: Maintain a balanced diet to keep your energy levels up.
- Sleep well: Ensure you get adequate rest to feel rejuvenated.
“At Cabify we highlight our BIG WOW, our “recharge days”. This is done by taking a day off on the third Friday of each month. This initiative has been implemented in all the offices for some years now and in countries where we are present. It is really one of the best-valued initiatives by all professionals, and why not say it, we are one of the very few companies in the market that has taken concrete measures to reduce working hours across the board for all its professionals.“
– HR Interview with Virginia Grenón Lobato, Global Head of Human Resources Operation at Cabify
Mental well-being for large organisations
At ifeel, we are committed to boosting employees’ mental well-being through various initiatives that en courage work-life balance. A key aspect to this is letting employees switch off and enjoy their time off.
To assist in this process, our team of psychologists specialising in mental well-being has developed a mental well-being program for companies aimed at helping companies enhance employee engagement and boost productivity.
This collaboration allows HR managers to receive personalised, data-based advice on the most effective measures for detecting employee mental health issues and assessing the workplace climate. It’s the best way to understand their needs.
Moreover, ifeel’s corporate mental well-being solution offers employees a structured mental health care service tailored to their needs at any given time.
We hope you found this article on ‘how to enjoy your holidays’ interesting. If you want more information about our mental well-being solution for companies, simply request it, and we will contact your team soon.
