Take a Vacation for the Health of It
Returning home from a vacation can be rather daunting, and you may think that you need a vacation to recover from the one you just took. Surprisingly, even though you may feel worn down, jet lagged or even sad to return back to the daily routine, the benefits you received from your get-away make it all worth it in the end.
Live Longer & Healthier
Vacations are an essential tool and play a significant role in reducing stress and other daily pressures. Stresses not only affect people’s emotional well-being and quality of life but also put their health at risk, damaging the immune system and cardiovascular health. Taking time away from the daily routine allows your body to refresh and revive itself. Experts have said that men and women who take the time to vacation live a longer, happier and healthier life.
Build Relationships
Vacations are a wonderful way to promote new opportunities to bond with family and loved ones. We live in a demanding, socially connected and on-call society that can be taxing on our relationships. In a personal relationship such as a marriage, you can slow down and focus on each other, discover new things about one another and do things together you wouldn’t normally do at home. This time spent together will make you appreciate each other more and feel more connected.
Traveling with your family creates a sense of camaraderie and strengthens your bond as you explore new places and try new things together. While establishing these bonds, you also make new and unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime. “I always feel so much closer to my kids and husband after a vacation,” Colleen Wooten, Parkville, says. “It gives us a chance to really focus on one another.”
Promote Discovery
We are creatures of habit that thrive on schedules and routines. We set aside specific times to eat, sleep, work and exercise. The mundane day-to-day rituals cut off creativity and smother new ways to think. Put yourself in a different environment with no social or work obligations and you might find yourself in uncharted waters. You might have to use your brain differently or look at things from a new perspective. And that’s just the point. “We always try to seek out the local spots to broaden our palates while we’re on vacation,” says Connie Bishop, Blue Springs.
Reach the Child Within
Finding time to “play” may seem impossible with all the emails, phone calls and meetings that exist in your daily routine. Vacations are the perfect time to do the activities/hobbies you love but don’t have the time to do anymore—or to try new activities like zip lining, kayaking or scuba diving. Regardless of how active or inactive you make your vacations, the important thing to remember is the state of the mind and body; your mind should be at rest and your body stress-free.
Support Overall Well-Being
Regularly experiencing mind blocks and pressure can drastically affect your mental health, causing depression, sleep problems and tension. One way to help promote a healthy state of mind is take time off and set time aside to mentally do nothing. Setting time aside for your mind to unwind will not only get you back to feeling your best, but it also promotes creativity that can encourage you to reconnect with yourself.
Help Job Performance
It’s hard to imagine that your job will benefit from your time away, but it will. Those who take time off from their 9-to-5 to recharge their batteries are proven to be more efficient, productive and increase the quality of their work, compared to their overworked and fatigued coworkers. Many workers come up with their best ideas away from work, allowing them to revamp their innovations minus the pressure. “I always come back to work with a clear head and ready to take on any task,” Casey Collins, Olathe, says. “Taking vacations saves my career.”
Wherever you decide to vacation this summer, make sure you set time aside to focus on recharging and unwinding so you’ll be prepared to take on life until your next vacation.
Jennifer Duxbury is a SAHM who is looking forward to her much needed summer vacation to the beach so she can recharge and unwind.