Many people don’t take vacations often enough. The busier we get and the more commitments we have, the harder it can become to take quality time off.

Time away from the workplace can recharge your batteries, and vacations are essential to avoiding job burnout.

 

Read: How Important is Taking Time Off

 

 Take A Break For Stress Relief

Letting stress build up can be unhealthy in several ways. The body is designed to respond to short bursts of stress, but when stress is prolonged, the situation turns into one of chronic stress, when the real health problems set in.

  

Here are just some of the signs that indicate stress may be overtaking your life:

 

  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Gut distress
  • Feeling agitated, frustrated, or moody
  • Aches and pains
  • Inability to focus
  • Worry
  • Forgetfulness

 

 Plan Ahead

When it come to taking time off you need to plan ahead. Planning is important no matter what it is that you are doing or how many days you will be taking off so make sure you do it.

 

 Work Considerations

Don’t schedule your trip during a busy period. Even if your vacation request is approved, your boss and coworkers will not appreciate your decision to leave everyone else with more work when they’re already swamped.

 

 Distribute your workload to a few different coworkers

It’s good practice to tactfully delegate responsibilities evenly among your colleagues/team or temporary staff.

 

 Try to unplug completely

Much of the benefit of vacation time comes from truly being away from work – mentally as well as physically. If you’re still checking work email and taking work calls, you’ll lose this benefit, especially since it takes most people a few days of doing no work to get out of work mode. In all but the rarest cases, your office can survive without you for a couple of weeks.

 

 Disconnect to re-energize

Disconnecting from email, texts, tweets, and check-ins creates this magical space to just be. Let it happen. Connect with what’s right in front of you. Be. There.

 

One in 10 workers has taken time off because of depression, a poll of 7,000 people in seven European countries has found. – European Depression Association (EDA) in Britain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Spain and France.

 

 

What are your tips for taking quality time off? Let us know in the comments section below if you do any specific activities during your breaks to make them useful and refreshing for you.

 

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Myriam Balerio is the founder and writer of PA Privé. After kick starting her career as a PA and finding success as an assistant, Myriam later trained in digital and online marketing and has since combined the two disciplines in creating PA Privé, the platform through which she provides sage advice for those in the assistant profession and a network for like-mined PAs and EAs to connect. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Myriam has lived in London for over 10 years and currently lives in London with her husband and French bulldog.

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