Maximizing Benefits Of Vacation. Take A Break, Change Your Life!

vacation health benefits man in hot tub near mountains

Photo: Robson Hatsukami Morgan, Unsplash

Return From “Anti-Productivity” Refreshed, Restored, & Ready To Rock:

Are you someone who a) “lives to work”, or b) “works to live”?

I’m willing to guess that more than a few of you answered a).

-Especially if you’re one of the countless go-getters who left vacation days on the table last year.

After that informal personality test, I’ll share another short axiom from someone I met on one trip:

“In America, you survive. In Europe, you live.” [economists and entrepreneurs can make their own interpretations here, btw]

Still worse than answering a) on the above, is the Scope-Creep “Workcation” where you “try” to go on vacation, but you still “peek” at work stuff.

But there is some really good news for those of you who want to reform!…

The Short Answer:

Vacations can be a type of “background processing” where some things are pushed to the back of your mind and other things come forward.
A UGA team looked at 32 previous studies across 9 countries and 256 effects.
Prior thinking said that vacations don’t have lasting effects.
But with their large & broad sample, the UGA team found just the opposite.
The biggest key to having a trip with lasting benefits is to psychologically unplug from work as completely as possible.
If you’re not unplugging, or God-forbid, taking a “Workcation”, it’s as bad as being in the office.
The study also found engaging in physical activities further boosts well-being.
Longer vacations were also found to provide larger benefits, especially on returning to work.
Planning time to prep before and decompress after travel can improve their value by minimizing stress and sudden-changes.
Previous research also lines up with this and also for organizing your trip memories afterward.
It may not always make sense to upper-management, but prioritizing self-care through vacations actually improves performance and productivity.
The Yerkes-Dodson Law is one model that fits with this very well.
The more it’s personalized to your exact needs and includes unique experiences, the better an excursion will serve you later on.
Perhaps vacations are a basic part of a healthy life & mind instead of some silly indulgence or excess?

Read on to find out the details…

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Vacations Are Like Long-Form “Background Processing”:

So one interesting idea from Psychology is called, “Background Processing.”

It means that you can work on one problem and go do something different, while your subconscious still works on the first thing for you.

It’s also related to a scene in the movie, “Layer Cake” where one character relaxes his mind by disassembling and reassembling a handgun over and over.

Those two similar ideas form the basis of a very helpful study by UGA on why you should take and maximize all the vacation days you can get.

Research On Long Vacation Value And Axing “Workcations”:

In a meta-analysis of 32 previous studies across 9 countries and 256 effect-sizes by UGA researchers, the long-term effects of vacations were reviewed.

What it showed is that surprisingly, the benefits from these outings were not short-lived.

This had been the finding of previous studies, and it was recently overturned by more data.

The positive effects can last significantly longer, especially if you do at least one thing.

And that is to completely abandon the idea of a “Workcation”, and unplug as thoroughly as you can.

Fail To Unplug From The Matrix At Your Own Peril!:

Lead author Ryan Grant puts it bluntly, “If you’re not at work but you’re thinking about work on vacation, you might as well be at the office.”

So resist the urge to check emails, take calls, or ruminate on looming projects.

Easier said than done, but the effort to fully disconnect pays dividends.

Subjects who managed to mentally check out from the office saw the greatest improvements in their well-being over time.

Forget Being A Mai-Tai Beach Bum And Get It In Gear!:

Another key insight from the analysis is the outsize impact of physical activity.

No, you don’t need to sign up for a Navy SEAL boot-camp or go summit Mont Blanc (unless that’s your thing).

The researchers emphasize that anything that gets your heart pumping can somehow work wonders.

What’s more, many classic vacation activities like snorkeling, beach volleyball, or just walking through a new city as you explore, all count.

Not only do they give you a physical and mental health boost, they also tend to be “unique opportunities for really positive experiences that you probably don’t get in your everyday life,” as Grant notes.

Talk about a win-win.

Size Can Matter, But Do Not Skip The Transitions:

Another key finding. When it comes to reaping all the rewards you can, the UGA team found that longer trips generally equate to larger benefits.

However, there’s a catch. Those coming back from extended getaways can also face a steeper drop in well-being as they readjust to the daily grind.

But there’s a great solution to that. Carve out a few transition days on both ends of your holiday.

It sounds a little bit contradictory to cut what you’d normally call “the vacation” short, but it really helps.

Giving yourself space to prepare beforehand, and transition to work smoothly afterward, can minimize stress on all sides of your trip.

It also dovetails nicely with previous research that shows 1) The anticipation is key, and 2) Creating post-vacation memories like scrapbooks also maximize value as well.

Image: Vladimír Šimkovič, ResearchGate

Hustle-Culture Is Out, Gary Vaynerchuck! Rejuvenation Is In!:

“We think working more is better, but we actually perform better by taking care of ourselves,” he asserts.

“We need to break up these intense periods of work with intense periods of rest and recuperation.”

Contrary to the idea of running yourself ragged, the work-productivity/vacation balance operates ~according to The (inverted U) Yerkes-Dodson Law, or the strange law between tax rates and government revenues.

So although Elons & bosses might not understand yet, investing in your own well-being through intentional, restorative getaways can pay significant dividends;

-Even in terms of productivity and performance. -BOOM!.

Putting It All Together. The Recharge Recipe, Plus!:

So what’s the secret sauce for the most rejuvenating getaway possible?

It’s one that prioritizes mental detachment from work and has plenty of physical activity.

Bonus points for unique, mentally stimulating experiences that take you out of your everyday routines and mindset.

It may even involve “Vacation By Diagnosis“, ie: addressing what’s most out-of-balance in your life more directly.

The key is to deliberately personalize a trip that lets you truly disconnect, decompress, and engage in quality self-care; even if “self care” takes on unexpected forms.