[00:00:06] This is The Balanced Leader Podcast, the podcast that helps leaders elevate their wellbeing and create healthier workplaces. My name is Rob Hills and I’m your leadership and wellbeing coach. In today’s episode, I want to talk about the importance of taking a break. I’m not talking about a 10 minute break once an hour or even taking a break over the weekend.

[00:00:26] I’m talking about a proper holiday. Do you know that feeling when you’re about to go on holidays? There’s a lightness in your step. The way your shoulders drop just thinking about it. Well, today, we’re diving into why that happens. And more importantly, why taking extended breaks isn’t just a luxury, it’s a biological necessity.

[00:00:49] Let’s start with some fascinating research that really puts this into perspective. The Framingham Heart Study, which is one of the longest running and most respected studies in medical history, found that people who don’t take holidays for extended periods have significantly higher rates of stress related health issues.

[00:01:09] This isn’t just about feeling tired, it’s about fundamental impacts on our health and well being. If you’re not taking regular holidays, and I’m only talking once or twice a year here, you are putting your health at risk. But it’s not all about health benefits and even feeling refreshed. There’s actually a clear link to performance too.

[00:01:30] A comprehensive study by Ernst & Young found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation time employees took. Their end of year performance rating improved by 8%. Think about that for a moment. Taking more breaks actually makes people better at their jobs, not worse. To be honest, that just makes sense.

[00:01:50] But for those of you who think, yeah, yeah, I’m going to take a holiday, but then you actually take your laptop away with you so you can still fire off a few sneaky emails. It’s not good news for you, unfortunately. Research by Professor Sabine Sonnertag shows that it’s not enough to be physically away from work, we need to mentally disconnect as well.

[00:02:11] This means actually switching off from work thoughts, emails and any concerns you have about it. You need to detach and get serious about your holiday. Okay, so you’re on board. You have come to my way of thinking and you’re ready for a holiday. There’s a couple of things more to be mindful of though.

[00:02:28] Those first few days of a holiday can feel a little bit uncomfortable. Have you ever noticed that? Maybe you feel restless or you keep checking your phone for work emails even though you’ve promised yourself you wouldn’t do it. This is just your brain adjusting to what researchers call a period of psychological detachment.

[00:02:47] It’s like your mind needs to go through a decompression phase before it can fully relax. So, expectations management, realise that it’s going to take a few days for you to decompress, so you have to stick with it, and resist the urge for the dopamine hit every time you think to yourself, I’m just going to take a quick peek at my emails.

[00:03:08] Another benefit of taking an extended break is that it gives us something that’s becoming increasingly rare in our ever connected world. When we step away from our daily routines, we create space for what researchers call cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to view our lives and challenges from different angles.

[00:03:30] I don’t know about you, but I’ve made some major life changes after taking a good long holiday. Things just always seem to get put into perspective when you’re not in the mosh pit of life. For those of you listening thinking, ‘Rob’s right again, I’m going to start booking you my next holiday right now’.

[00:03:46] First of all, thank you. Have I got some good news for you. One of the most interesting findings from vacation research is that the anticipation of a holiday can be almost as beneficial as the holiday itself. Just knowing that we have an extended break coming up that we can look forward to helps reduce our stress levels and improve our ability to cope with whatever challenges we are experiencing now.

[00:04:11] So jump online today. and book that cruise or start planning out your next adventure. I know what some of you might be thinking. That’s all well and good, but I can’t just take extended breaks whenever I want. And you’re right. We all have responsibilities, deadlines, and commitments. But this is where the science becomes particularly compelling.

[00:04:33] The research shows that regular planned extended breaks, even just once or twice a year, can significantly impact our long term cognitive health and performance. So you don’t have to enter into semi retirement, once or twice a year is enough. So to summarise, taking extended breaks is not just about feeling good in the moment, it’s about maintaining our cognitive capabilities, protecting our mental health, and ensuring we can continue performing at our best.

[00:05:04] When we view it through this lens, taking extended breaks moves from being a luxury to being an essential part of our overall wellbeing strategy. So, as we come to the end of 2024, I am going to take my own advice. It’s time for me to take a break. I’ve been doing this podcast regularly for just over a year now and I feel like a holiday is well overdue.

[00:05:28] The podcast will be returning in early 2025 with more great guests and content about leadership and well being. I’m really excited about the break. It’s going to give me the space to recharge, reflect, and come back with new perspectives to share with you all because ultimately that’s what these extended breaks allow us to do.

[00:05:49] They help us to show up as better leaders. better colleagues, better family members, and even better versions of ourselves. So, if you’ve been putting off taking that holiday, consider this your research backed permission slip to make it happen. Thank you everyone for joining me for this final episode of 2024, and for your support throughout the year.

[00:06:10] I really look forward to continuing our conversations in the new year. Enjoy your holiday.