You Need a Holiday Infographic

You need a holiday. Modern life is busy. While most people are aware of the benefits of a break from work, not everybody takes as much time off as they should. Workers who take full annual leave. UK. Seventy five percent. Germany. Seventy percent. Norway. Sixty five percent. Sweden. Forty six percent. USA. Forty four percent. Median number of paid holidays, days. UK. Twenty seven. Germany. Thirty. Norway. Twenty five. Sweden. Thirty. USA. Twelve. Average working week, hours. UK. Thirty two. Germany. Twenty six. Norway.Twenty seven. Sweden. Thirty one. USA. Thirty four. [1] [2] So, what’s stopping you. [3] [4] Pressure to meet deadlines. Constant workload. Fear of coming back to a big workload. Want to look dedicated. Worry it will damage career. Guilt at leaving colleagues. Loyalty to employer. But working too long without a break can lead to burnout, with symptoms like. [5] fatigue, forgetfulness, loss of concentration, illness, anxiety, depression, anger. Nobody can do their best work under those conditions. So, if you’re wondering whether to book that break, here are seven benefits of having a holiday. De-stress. Stress is the root cause of many physical and psychological problems. Getting away from both work and home pressures is one of the best ways to clear your mind and reduce stress. Sleep. When pressed for time, sleep is one of the first things people compromise, but it shouldn’t be. Sleep is essential for physical and mental health, and a holiday is the perfect time to get into the habit of getting a good night’s rest. [6] Quality time. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, personal relationships can be neglected. Holidays are the perfect time to reconnect and nurture them. Get healthy. Many people tend to be more active on holiday, getting much-needed exercise. A beach holiday has extra benefits. the sun provides Vitamin D and seawater can be great for your skin. [7] Be inspired. Great insights and bursts of imagination are often sparked by exposing yourself to new culture, arts and scenery. See the world and you never know what fantastic new ideas you’ll bring home. Be more productive. Working more hours doesn’t mean getting more work done. The famously productive Germans take more holidays and work fewer hours than most. [8] A clear mind and a full store of energy are the ideal ingredients for productivity. Be happier. Stress and fatigue are major causes of unhappiness, which can deteriorate into a vicious circle of anger and depression. Mental and physical rest, along with spending time doing things you enjoy will all make you a happier, healthier person, who’ll be more pleasant to work with. Remember. you can’t pour from an empty cup.

[1] Will Dahlgreen, ‘British Workers Take More of Their Holiday Days Than Anyone Else in the World’ at: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/11/06/british-workers-holiday-takers-world/ (6 November 2015).
[2] Benjamin Snyder & Stacy Jones, ‘Americans Work Hard, But People in These 15 Countries Work Longer Hours’ at: http://fortune.com/2015/11/11/chart-work-week-oecd/ (11 November 2015).
[3] Jana Kasperkevic, ‘Why is America so Afraid to Take a Vacation.’ at: http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/sep/07/america-vacation-workaholic-culture-labor-day (7 September 2015).
[4] Alan Tovey, ‘Here’s Why Professionals Feel They Can’t Take Their Holiday’ at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/11276129/Heres-why-professionals-feel-they-cant-take-their-holiday.html (7 December 2014).
[5] Sherrie Bourg Carter, ‘The Tell Tale Signs of Burnout … Do You Have Them.’ at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/high-octane-women/201311/the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them (26 November 2013).
[6] Sherrie Bourg Carter, ‘Has Sleep and Stress Become a Vicious Circle in Your Life.’ at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/high-octane-women/201105/has-sleep-and-stress-become-vicious-cycle-in-your-life (27 May 2011).
[7] Paul Joseph, ‘Why Holidays are Healthy for You’ at: http://www.healthandfitnesstravel.com/blog/why-holidays-are-healthy-for-you (28 August 2013).
[8] Jessica Stillman, ‘Which Country Has the Most Productive Workers.’ at: http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/which-country-has-the-most-productive-workers.html (25 July 2014).

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