Nearly every 1:1 client I have says these words at some point during our first session: “I’m too busy to have a holiday.” It is pretty much guaranteed. And what is also guaranteed is that after a few more sessions, they will take one. Because saying you’re too busy to take your holiday entitlement is counterproductive.
I have just come back from a week in the sun. I didn’t really have the diary space to take a holiday but I knew after the past few weeks of working all over the country and extremely long hours, that if I didn’t take a break soon I was heading for burn out.
It is true for the majority of us that we all benefit from time away from our ‘life as usual’.
A Holiday Health Experiment conducted by Kuoni and Nuffield Health, found that the majority of people feel happier, more rested and much less stressed because of their holidays, and that the benefits continue well past the holiday – in fact, for months afterwards.
Holidays don’t have to be un-busy; they just need to be away from work and the usual day to day routine in order to build up resilience, recovery and wellbeing.
But it isn’t just about improved health. Time away helps to clear the mind. It offers thinking time; time to run over past actions and decisions and to plan for new ones. A challenge that did not have a solution can suddenly become clear when we clear our minds of clutter, worry and stress. And it is usually effortless thinking.
We all know this – we sometimes just need to be told to do it. We should all make sure we take that time out of diary, regardless of how busy we are, and if you need to be held to account to make sure you do, we can help you to make that commitment and gain the lasting benefits for the rest of the year.