Here’s Why A Vacation Is Actually Good For Your Mental Health

Here’s Why A Vacation Is Actually Good For Your Mental Health

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By: Annie Morgan

It’s estimated up to 50 percent of American workers feel burned out.

And employees aren’t the only ones feeling the strain of being overworked, corporations are learning if they work their employees too hard – it will backfire.

According to the Integrated Benefits Institute, employers forked over a whopping $530 billion per year for illness-related lost productivity (on top of the estimated $880 billion already paid for health care benefits).

So what can be done to stop this looming expensive crisis?

A simple vacation just might do the trick.

Burnout Can Make You Seriously Ill

When stress takes over the body, adrenaline flows and our body goes into “fight or flight” mode.

While this can be good in a crisis, maintaining a constant state of fight or flight can cause the body to shut down, and seriously mess with your cortisol levels.

And if it continues, you start to feel burned out, causing even more health problems.

Besides feeling the mental fatigue and the lack of motivation to do anything, burnout can manifest itself in physical symptoms.

The Mayo Clinic reported if it’s not addressed burnout causes everything from heart disease, high blood pressure, and makes you more susceptible to getting sick.

Why A Vacation Works

The key to tackling burnout is to address it before it starts. By taking regular vacations, you are forcing your body to get away from the office and clearing your mind.

This only works if you don’t work on vacation!

When you’re off work, truly be off. Turn off push notifications on your cell phone, and give your mind a chance to unwind.

Regular vacations are shown to reduce burnout as employees have a chance to take a break and have some rest.

If you can’t afford to take a vacation, consider taking some “mental health days.”

You stay home when you have the flu, correct?

Well if you are seriously feeling stressed out or have a list of personal matters that are robbing your concentration, taking a day off is beneficial to give your body rest and restart.

Even if you sleep the day away – your body and mind need rest.

Smart employers are even letting their employees have a flex schedule and work from home – which has shown to increase productivity and reduce stress.

Physical And Mental Health Work Together

It’s great to eat healthy and exercise, but it’s critical you don’t neglect your mental health.

Pushing through past your limits on a regular basis won’t make you mentally tough – if you end up shutting down and burning out in the end.

You should always challenge yourself, but not to the point where you head down a dark path.

Look for signs of burnout such as excessive stress, overeating, lack of sleep, depression, or irritability.

You might be in the wrong job or need to adjust your priorities – but more often than not you just need a vacation!

Have you ever suffered from job burnout?

Did a week or two away from the office seem to do the trick?

Tell us your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to share this article with your friends and family to let them know why a vacation is good for your mental health!