For many people, the fall break is over and what a great time you've had enjoying all your free time, but then when you get back to work the workload hits you like a bomb again. Deadlines, overdue work that was left behind during the vacations, and a row of appointments that are all coming up one after the other. You almost get the idea that you might as well not have gone on vacation.
That's why in this blog I'll discuss the effects of vacation on post-holiday stress and burnout symptoms and what you can do to really recharge during your vacation.
A vacation is a luxury we love in the Netherlands. We are also one of the most productive countries in the world and a break now and then is nice so as not to fall over from stress and work.
Stress from your work can come from conflicts, responsibilities and the amount of work you have to do. For example, perhaps you need to work very efficiently which circumstances do not always allow you to do.
Chronic stress can result while you are at work. The very act of not working for a while is to reduce that stress. This is why it is important not to work overtime too often, to enjoy your weekend and especially your vacation.
Psychological well-being through leisure time
Leisure time works to recharge you psychologically, but before this can happen, activities or inactivity must achieve the following goals:
- Intrinsic Satisfaction.
- Being in control of activities you perform.
- Rest.
- Time for reflection.
- Deepening connections with family and/or friends.
Multiple studies show that the more satisfied you are by your vacation the more effect it had on reducing stress and burnout symptoms(1, 2).
Research (1) conducted in the late 1990s on people with administrative jobs shows that 2 weeks of vacation can significantly reduce burnout symptoms as early as 2 weeks. Stress symptoms are significantly lower during such a vacation than a few days before the vacation.
Unfortunately, the effect of the two-week vacation was only temporary. For the first three days after the vacation, participants were still reasonably relaxed, but after 3 weeks, stress levels were already back to where they were before the vacation.
What is also nice to know is that just before your vacation you are already slightly more relaxed than, say, a few weeks before your vacation, but this was not significant and so this effect is not necessarily true for everyone.
This research also shows that the more satisfied you are with your vacation, the more effect it has in reducing your stress levels. German research conducted on university employees in 2006 showed similar results.
The German study (2) also found that the vacation is good for health. This may have to do with the fact that chronic stress can weaken the immune system. Then when the stress does subside, the immune system improves again.
The effort it takes to complete a task well is also less after a vacation. This may be because a vacation improves mood, which in turn has good effects on cognitive processes, thoughts, that you need to use to accomplish some tasks.
Getting in a good mood
A good mood is more important than you think. In fact, your mood can influence thoughts and decisions you make. The Dutch are one of the most productive people in the world, and we also export a lot of knowledge. If you sometimes feel that your doctor, lawyer or engineer does go on vacation very often, it could be a sign that they are so successful precisely because they take time to get in a good mood and recover from work.
In the process, caregivers can also suffer from compassion fatigue more quickly which can negatively affect their work and it is not good for their own mental health either.
Research on people in retirement has also shown that satisfaction with leisure time is important in reducing anxiety. If you could translate this to the workplace, it could mean doing a task more confidently which could benefit your business or work.
Tips to really recharge during your vacation
The research shows that in order to truly have less stress after your vacation and during your vacation, you must truly enjoy your vacation. That's why I've come up with some tips to help you make the most of your vacation so you can recharge yourself to get back to work full of fresh energy.
Go do something you enjoy
Okay this may sound very logical, but how often does it occur that you want to tread a little water. You've been wanting to do an afternoon of high tea for a long time, but your partner or children insist that you do it at the Efteling (or something similar) so you don't have the relaxing afternoon you imagined.
For example, agree on a day when everything goes the way you want it to, then your partner will also get such a day, and your child can also get his or her own day during the vacations.
That way, you increase your chances of meeting intrinsic satisfaction.
Go to the spa for a day
Did you know that in Germany, through your health insurance company, you can go to the spa for 6 weeks if you feel you're getting overworked? Just completely unwinding through massages, tasty food and the heat of the sauna can help tremendously to recharge you.
If it must be on a budget, you can also get a facial at the beautician. Who hasn't fallen asleep to a facial massage?
Rest is also sometimes just pampering your body.
Be mindfull
If you're a true workaholic, or running into burnout, you may find that you find it difficult not to think about your work. This is the way to not unwind and overwork yourself.
By applying mindfulness, you will enjoy the moment more and therefore your vacation.
Mindfulness involves being in the here and now with your attention. This makes you pay better attention during a nice quiet moment. This allows you to follow conversations better and deepen ties with your family and friends.
Mindfulness is very useful and can also be used outside the vacations during work and on weekends.
Meditate
Reflection is something that doesn't always come naturally. Meditating allows you to become aware of all kinds of thoughts flying through your brain. By meditating, you can quietly let those thoughts go through your mind and think about whether you want to change anything in your life.
Meditation is a good way to reflect.
In addition, meditation can also be used during workdays to reduce daily stress.
Keep a vacation journal
Another way to reflect is to keep a journal on your vacation. By doing this you also force yourself to live in the moment and thus be mindfull and by reflecting on it in writing at the end of the day you are in the process of mapping out your life.
This may also be one of the reasons why travel blogs are so popular, but you can also keep it private in a booklet with a lock.
Don't check your mail and phone
The way to not be with your thoughts and attention on your vacation is to check your email. This can just cause you to get another negative stimulus from work when you should be relaxing and resting right now. Therefore, leave your work phone at home and don't check your email either.
This triggers the stress giving part of responsibility and therefore your vacation has less effect.
If you find it stressful to leave your phone at home and not check your e-mail, you can designate someone at work to be your point of contact when you are not there and let them solve problems. That way you leave the workplace in safe hands and you can enjoy your vacation.
So vacation is really something you need from time to time to recharge completely. Do you unfortunately have to wait months until you can actually go on vacation again? Then you can also use these tips on weekends and days off.
Want to learn more about mental techniques that can make your life easier? Then check out Hypnosis Institute Netherlands' training courses or come to a seminar.
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