As self-employed consultants, we have to take breaks and vacations whenever we can get them (something I’ve been remiss in doing for a while). So when I was invited to speak to the Coastal Carolinas chapter of the American Advertising Federation this week, I made sure to extend the trip into a mini vacation.
It's Important
We know vacations are a boon to our mental health, and we might have some awareness that they’re beneficial to our physical health – but chances are vacations are even more important than you realize. Taking part in leisure activities is shown to lead to lower blood pressure, lower stress hormones and smaller waists, and one study found vacations lead to a significantly lower risk of mortality. That’s right – taking a break from time to time can actually contribute to your long-term survival!
Interestingly, even if we have an understanding of the benefits vacations offer our bodies, it’s often harder for us to recognize that vacations are actually critical to being effective at work. Do you know that some scientists have found that stress shrinks your brain (an effect that can be reversed after a period of rest)? Even small vacations actually change your brain waves, leading to improved reaction times, clarity and creativity.
So, when you jokingly (or not so jokingly) exclaim, “I need a vacation!” the truth is, you really do.
For me, because I'm truly nutty as a fruitcake and addicted to goal-setting, I often make mental health-related goals for myself that I hope to achieve while on vacation. During some breaks, I seek to jump start my creative juices by trying new things, while other times I pause to reflect on the directions I'm taking my business and my life. This time, I’ll be doing something especially radical: striving to turn my thoughts off almost completely – to be 100% in the moment, with no thoughts whatsoever (no easy feat for an OCD gal like myself, but I’m hoping it will lead to a helpful recharging).
What vacations or mini-breaks do you have coming up this summer, and what do you hope to accomplish (or avoid) as a result? Let us know in the comments, and if you haven’t decided when your next break is, start planning!
Taking care of yourself is the easiest thing to forget and something I am prone to do. It doesn’t help when you’re also juggling family demands AND your spouse runs a small business too. We are planning NOW for a weekend getaway in fall. Two years ago, we took three weeks off at Christmas to spend with family in Australia. It was an amazing battery recharge that the whole family needed. That time of year seems to be a sweet spot as lots of businesses are shrinking hours and staff. I think after you have been in business for awhile, you can better gauge the slow periods.
Great tips, Fran. You’re smart to start planning way in advance! It has to be on the calendar, or it will never happen.
Vacations are a really important of our health, yes work is important but our health is more important so we need to have a time for both.