Master the Holiday “Recharge” With These 4 Tips

“Ready for a holiday” is British speak for “tired/fed-up/keen to switch off/all three”. But there’s definitely a knack to ensuring that your well-deserved break is just that, and you don’t return more tired and less ready to face the daily grind than before your departure.

Tip 1: Actually switch off
Many workers want to touch base with work to ensure they’re not hit with an unexpected, potentially stressful situation upon their return.

But stewing about something before you’re in a position to do anything about it is not going to help, and means you’ll likely be more drained and less able to deal with whatever the issue is upon your return.

You could even be catastrophising, blowing the supposed “disaster” out of all proportion, at the cost of your holiday happiness and relaxation.

Why stop at your phone? Switch off your mind to work as well, especially negative thoughts about work.

“Thinking about the negative aspects of your job during vacation has been associated with greater burnout, more health complaints, and lower job performance after vacation.” says Charlotte Fritz, associate professor in industrial and organisational psychology at Portland State University.

Tip 2: Relax

this is the main order of the day for the majority of us when booking a holiday, but relaxation takes many different forms. Poolside sun worshippers may be completely averse to the idea of going for a 4-mile hike every day, while those who are more physically active may rely on exercise to unwind.

While you may want to cram in everything on your holiday to-do list, be sure that time to relax, however you choose to do so, is accounted for.

Tip 3: Avoid stressful scenarios

Daily life stressors like getting ill or having a car breakdown don’t vanish the moment you clock off. Do yourself a favour and don’t welcome holiday hassles into your time off. If you’re hiring a car, make sure it’s from a reputable company who have the right insurance in place, and take advice on local cuisine to avoid getting ill. These are little things that could help you sidestep the bigger issues.

Tip 4: Little and often

According to experts, the holiday effect fades away within three weeks of returning to work, whether you’ve been away for a week or a month. By this reasoning, taking more than one holiday a year, whether it’s a trip abroad or a “staycation”, could equate to less time as your usual, stressed, burnt-out work self.