Vacations are much more than just fun and getting in the sun. They now have a whole new aspect, becoming as important as the right food and exercise to keep in good health and be better at work.. It’s proved that people who do not take vacations have a 21% higher risk of death from all causes.
Here are the 6 most important reasons for you to take a vacation.
1.Good for your Heart. Studies have highlighted the potential cardiovascular health benefits of taking a vacation. The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial for the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute followed 12,000 men over a nine-year period that had a high risk for coronary heart disease. The study found that any such men who take frequent annual vacations were 21 percent less likely to die from any cause and were 32 percent more likely to die from heart diseases.
Another landmark study, the Framingham Heart Study – probably the largest and longest-running study of cardiovascular disease – revealed that men who didn't take a vacation for several years were 30 percent more likely to have heart attacks compared to men who did not take time off. It also found that women who took a vacation only once every six years or less were eight times more likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a heart attack compared to women who vacationed at least twice a year.
2. Good for your Mind Work has become synonymous to stress. Working too much leads to hypertension, the main reason for all mental and heart diseases. No matter how much you love your job, working too much and too long is bound to get you stressed out, having a bad effect on the quality of your work. It leads to irritability, poor communication and decision making and even poorer relationships both in the work place and outside. There is a saturation point for all and once you reach that point it means a vacation is needed..and needed very badly too. A vacation will immediately reduce the stress and help you get back to work with a clear mind.
vacations recharge your brains, making you more creative. Our tasks are mostly routine tasks; doing the same thing over and over again, not allowing us to be spontaneous or creative. When we are finally asked to be creative, we find it very difficult. Just as vacation revives our bodies, it recharges our minds too. The sheer experience of travelling gives you a new perspective to life. Seeing new places, meeting new people, learning about the way they live, their cultures, languages and living styles, experienced first-hand, help you to be more understanding.
3. Better sleep. Disrupted sleep and being restless through the night, worrying too much about personal and work relates issues are common phenomenon seen in the professionals of today. You simply have too much on your minds. When you are not able to stop these thoughts, sleep gets effected, leading to inability to focus, being less alert, an impaired memory, an increased propensity for accidents and an overall very decreased quality of life. Vacations are a welcome break from habits that disrupt sleep, like watching TV or working late into the night. Taking time off helps you be more relaxed and healthier, so you are able to sleep better.
4. Good for strengthening relationships with Family and Friends.
Probably the most important reason for having a vacation is catching up with your families and friends and spending precious time with them, time you were unfortunately not able to find in your hectic job schedule. Travelling together, away from home is a great way to build and strengthen your relationships. As part of your daily grind at work many of your relationships have suffered. Vacations are a time to reconnect with the people you want in your life.
5. Being more Productive. The after-glow of a vacation remains much after you get back to work. It helps you to reinforce your ability to consistently perform at peak levels. You are constantly trying to get more work done in less time, to remain ahead and be more productive. It however takes a consistent focus to be truly productive and such vacations give the right amount of a break, to get back focus.
A recent study by Ernst & Young of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation time employees took, their year-end performance ratings improved 8 percent.
6. Vacations are great motivators for improving quality of work
. From the time a vacation is planned you will notice a very positive effect on your work; you will feel more motivated to complete your assigned works and achieve your goals. You will view the vacation as a reward for doing your job well. This incentive works so well that it is strongly recommended that you plan your next vacation right from the time you get back. Having a good vacation to look forward to, will help you get through the tough time you are having at work or at home.
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