Are You Working Yourself to Death?
Replenish your body and soul with this age-old remedy
By RealAge
Americans throw away an estimated 415 million vacation days every year. That's 1.6 million years of unused vacation! Have we lost our minds? Chronic stress and overcommitment to work have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and mortality. Yep, not taking a vacation will make your RealAge older. Much older.
Whatever your excuse for not taking a break -- your job can't live without you, you can't afford the expense, there simply aren't enough days in the yejar -- toss them out the window.
The truth is, you're not doing anyone any favors by not taking time off. Not your family. Not your employer. And definitely not yourself. Research suggests that reducing stress and taking regular vacations -- once or twice a year -- may be as vital to your emotional and physical well-being as exercise or a healthful diet. And the benefits don't stop there. Vacations seem to have a positive impact on families and organizations as well.
People who take frequent vacations:
- Are less likely to be depressed, tense or tired
- Have a reduced risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality
- Tend to spend more time with their spouse and children and are more satisfied with their marriages
- Report being more interested and more productive in their work when they return from time off
So change your mindset. Stop thinking of vacation as a luxury you can live without and start thinking of it as a healthy habit. Let's face it: making time off a regular recuperative part of your life is probably the easiest lifestyle change you'll ever make.
Ticket to Health
The number one rule for a rejuvenating vacation? Leave the work and worries behind. And that'll be much easier to accomplish if you turn off -- or leave at home -- your cell phone, BlackBerry, and laptop.
It was once predicted that by the year 2000, Americans would be using mobile phones, working 20-hour weeks, and enjoying more than 3 months of vacation each year. Unfortunately, only one of these predictions has come true.
Technological developments, once expected to precipitate the end of the 5-day workweek, have in fact had the opposite effect. These advancements have blurred the boundary between work life and personal life, making it trickier rather than easier to find the right work/home balance.
Best Bets for a Recuperative Getaway
There's no need to break the bank at a pricey spa retreat to get the health benefits of vacation, but some variables do improve your odds of returning home relaxed and recharged. Use the tips below to help plan a health-enhancing holiday you won't soon forget.
Lucky Number 7
It usually takes people 2 to 3 days to really relax and get into the groove of vacation time. Longer vacations are associated with greater psychological benefits than shorter ones, so try to plan a break that's at least 7 days.
Comentarios