Benefits to Time Off/Workcation

This post is #10 in a #17 post series about workcations. The learn more about workcations and see the full eBook, check out Workcation. Have the best life now! on Amazon. It's free to borrow, if you have a Kindle device or Amazon Prime. 

As you continue to define and expand upon the reasons behind your workcation, let’s look at some of the leading studies about the benefits of taking time off. According to Alertness Solutions, an independent research firm, the benefits of a vacation respite can help increase worker performance by 80%, and reaction times of returning vacationers increased 40%. As you take breaks from work, your ability to reconnect actually increases!

Imagine that! Productivity increases as we take time to play and reconnect with your true passions. In fact, Stuart Brownfounder of the National Institute for Play in California shares that active play increases the responsive, flexible, skilled aspects of our brain. All of these qualities are excellent for the workplace and help us be more well-rounded and flexible employees.

Additionally, if you have a family, the social benefits can extend beyond the workplace. The Disney Time Survey, an independent research study conducted by Kelton Research, found that quality family time not only increases while on vacation but the family members are able to learn more and new things about each other during this time period, compared to when at home.  This helps family members feel more relaxed, calm, and even more affectionate. 

The benefits of taking breaks from work – either the form of a traditional vacation or workcation, simply don’t stop at productive level. These benefits can help your overall health. In fact, the distinguished Framingham Heart Study discovered that vacations actually help reduce the risk of heart disease, particularly in men. Specifically, men who didn’t take a vacation were 30% more likely to have heart attacks then those who did. The study found that even if you plan on skipping one year to create a bank of vacation hours, the effects of not taking a vacation can increase your risk of heart disease. Taking breaking helps refresh the soul as well as improve overall health!

Now, as we have seen from earlier chapters, Americans are not taking vacations and leaving substantial amount of days in their vacation hour bank. A workcation is not about making you take all of your vacation time, although these stats may make you reconsider using more of your banked vacation days. It’s about helping you identify how to take more prolonged breaks in your life. If it’s an hour walk at a park or an overnight camping adventure, a workcation, however you define it, can add productive, health, and social benefits to your life.

To learn more about how you can enhance your life, check out Workcation. It's available to borrow for free via an Amazon Kindle.