It’s an age old saying, ‘change is as good as a holiday’, but returning to Agent99 HQ after being fortunate enough to take seven weeks off to travel, I can safely say a holiday is also just as good as change.
In today’s world, it’s rare to take breaks where you can fully disconnect, but here’s a few lessons I learnt when I did just that (and why you should take some time off this year too!):
You remember what perspective means. When you’ve worked months or years on end without a proper break, your outlook can get clouded. After a holiday, it’s scientifically proven that people see the tasks they must complete as part of their job as less effortful compared to before they took time off.
You become more creative. Just like writer’s block, when you try to force creative thinking, you often just end up empty handed and frustrated. Once you’re out of your environment, and away from the usual distractions, it’s so much easier to be inspired.
Calmness is contagious. On a workplace front, moods are often contagious, so the fact it’s been proven that people who take holidays have lower levels of job stress and burnout means the whole office then feels your zen when you return.
You learn to delegate. When you’re passionate about your job it can be hard to relinquish control of tasks but going away means that you don’t have a choice. It might seem daunting at the time, but it’s a great reminder that delegating is an important part of effective teamwork. Plus, it also gives your colleagues the chance to work on different projects and learn new skills.
You have space to think about your why. When you constantly have a long to-do list, thinking about why you are doing what you are doing is easy to lose track of. Being away from the office is the perfect chance to remember that, and if you aren’t sure even when you have a clear head, then you’re probably not in the right job.
You reenergise. Even weekends and a few days off can help you become inspired and think of more creative ideas, but by properly disconnecting for more than a week at a time you can fully refresh so that when you return you have the energy to take action on the ideas you had while you were away.
Agent Nic
