7 steps to a real break from work

8 hours of sunbathing on the beach, climbing mountain peaks, 30,000. steps a day in a foreign city – when the anticipated vacation comes, our bodies instantly forget the stresses of everyday life, easily adjusting to new realities. Worse for the mind, which needs much more effort to let go. How to help him in this?

Let’s start with the basics: Why is it necessary to rest?

As a product of nature, the human body strives for balance, and when it is lacking, trouble begins. So if we don’t find time to rest (or don’t know how to rest), stress feeds on our exhaustion, hitting both physical and mental health.

For the sake of balance, let’s also look at leisure on the more positive side.
as suggested by the OECD (International Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), regular rest from work significantly increases our daily productivity.

The beneficial effect of the vacation is also confirmed by The Framingham Heart Study, a 74-plus-year association of cardiovascular disease experts – in one published analysis, they suggest a close link between frequent vacations and longer life and better health. The problem is.

As many as 39% of professionals and managers can’t remember when they last took at least two weeks’ leave

How do you really get a break from work?

Since science claims that vacations literally prolong life, we have no choice but to start planning them – for health. Only is a true break from work and daily problems realistic? Yes, but it requires preparation.

Here’s how to go about it:

• Lay it out

To save yourself pre-holiday nerves and sleepless nights, try to carefully plan out what you need to do before you leave a few weeks in advance. Also prepare a detailed duty plan for the person who will replace you. With the feeling that everything is under control, your mind will be able to focus on what is most important – recovery.

• Clean up your desk

That our surroundings exert a powerful influence on us is no secret.
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota
found that desk clutter can cause concentration disorders and has a direct impact on the fact that we are less likely to finish projects on time – and time is of the essence right now.

• Don’t be afraid of honesty

Assertiveness at work is a quality that is difficult to do without in today’s world. Importantly, it should also apply to your right to rest.

Before your vacation, don’t be afraid to tell your co-workers and superiors that you need a real break from work and ask them to try to avoid contacting you. If for some reason your role does not allow it, Set a specific day and time slot when you will be available to your co-workers. Managers don’t have it easy, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be given time to recuperate.

• Cut yourself off from stressors

A decent reset requires decisive steps. Corporate chat on Messenger and notifications from an email inbox or LinkedIna can effectively spoil even the best holiday day. We believe it is worth minimizing this risk. The minimum option is to mute chats and delete some apps for the vacations, but we also have a suggestion for the brave: a total digital detox. It sounds drastic, but it’s worth considering –
doomscrolling
is just waiting to steal a few hours from your life, and prolonged exposure to blue light conquers anxiety.

• Do a lot of

It’s simple – the more you do, the less time you have for unnecessary mental excursions into work. Not to mention the salutary effects of movement on the body and mind.

*If you’re not going anywhere, try to spend at least as much time away from home as you would in the office.
According to research published by Cornell University
, just 10 minutes surrounded by nature is enough to lower stress levels – both physical and mental.

• Be careful with stimulants

In excess, many stimulants – including alcohol –
aggravates depressive and anxiety states
. If you are in a state of overtiredness, there is a good chance that exceeding a certain dose of certain substances will bring back a flurry of negative thoughts.

• Give yourself a moment

When planning a vacation, try to save one free day for post-holiday quieting – A sudden jump from ‘leisure’ to ‘work’ mode can take a toll on your mood and motivation.