It’s a cold January day in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The temperature is about 17 degrees, and that’s without the wind chill. People are shoveling their driveways and sidewalks, twisting their bodies into all sorts of positions, many of which aren’t good for their already bad backs. You can hear complaints all around these parts of Minnesota this time of year… “I don’t want to go to work today,” “I hate this winter weather,” and “I wish I could take a vacation.”
Now about that last one… when is the last time you actually took a vacation? For many working Minnesotans a vacation is a foreign concept. After all, there’s “work to be done.” But, too much work and not enough relaxation ends up messing with your body– and you could be stressed out!
Rather than complain about being exhausted but do nothing about it, now’s the time to consider taking a vacation– even if it’s just for a few days to get away from the stresses of your everyday life.
Why take a vacation? There are actually science-based reasons why vacation is good for you.
For starters, there’s the much needed reduction in stress. Since you can get away from the people, activities and environment of work, you can literally get away from those stressors. Giving your body and mind “time off” from “all that” helps recharge your batteries. Then, when you do go back to work, you’re more relaxed. And that means fewer headaches, backaches and pains.
What about heart disease? Want to help prevent it from happening to you? Those who take vacations regularly suffer fewer heart attacks than those who skip vacations. Professional research studies have shown this to be true for both men and women.
How about improved productivity? As you’d imagine, it takes a lot of energy to be constantly productive. For those who take a vacation, they “come back from it” more ready to work in such a way that actually improves their overall productivity for the year. There’s nothing quite like getting away from something for a bit to allow the body and mind to tackle it later on with more gusto. If taking a vacation could help you be a happier, more productive employee, then why not take one?
Finally, when people have too much on their minds they don’t sleep well. But vacations give the mind a chance to rest and concentrate on simple things, like the beauty of flowers and trees or the taste of a good meal. Getting “better sleep” leads to better focus, less stress and a chance to reset your sleep pattern.
Maybe it’s time you took a vacation. Get away from the cold winter weather. Find a beach in Florida, get some sun, and watch the waves– it’s time you took some “time off!”
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