Workplace Wellbeing: Relax and let holidays do their job
Pic: iStock
PICTURE yourself on holidays, what do you see? Most probably relaxing in the sunshine, maybe on a sandy beach. Yet, for many of us, the reality is different.
According to a recent British poll, one in four holidaymakers struggles to switch off while away. Some 30% worry about the work they’ve left behind and 29% fret about the work that will await them when they return.
American workers find it even more challenging to disconnect while on holiday. A 2022 YouGov US survey found that 60% left work notifications turned on and 43% checked work-related messages at least once a day.
We may not be much better in Ireland. CSO statistics from 2021 revealed one in five workers don’t take their full allocation of annual leave.
That’s a big mistake, says professional coach Eilis Meehan.
“Holidays are vital because our minds need to rest, not only from the stresses of work but also from the barrage of media on our devices,” she says. “We’re simply not designed for a never-ending stream of words, images and stimuli. By stepping back from all of that for a week or two, we give ourselves a chance to reset.”
Holidays are essential to our overall wellbeing, says career and wellbeing coach Ciara Spillane.
“Mentally disengaging from work has been shown to help with stress, ease headaches and back pain and even increase job satisfaction by making us feel more positive about work when we return reinvigorated after a holiday.”
There are several reasons why we find it difficult to leave the workplace behind when we go on holidays. Having our devices to hand is one.
“It’s just so easy to pick up the phone, check-in and answer a few emails,” says Meehan.
Some are convinced the workplace will grind to a halt without them.
“In my experience, this is usually a sign of someone who is highly stressed,” says Spillane. “When you are carrying a heavy workload or feeling close to burnout, you think you are integral to your company’s success. It’s hard to objectively stand back and realise that the company won’t fail without you.”
Self-employed people suffer from this more than others.
“For them to go on holidays can mean turning down or missing out on business, which is hard,” says Meehan. “However, it’s crucial to maintain a sense of perspective. A healthy bank balance is desirable but it’s no substitute for healthy relationships and quality of life. Working hard but not enjoying the fruits of such work doesn’t make much sense. It’s also been shown that being happy and healthy makes us more productive, which helps the bank balance in the long term.”
Prepare to relax
Preparation is essential if we want to fully unwind while away.
“Tell clients and customers you will be on leave and who they should contact in your absence,” says Spillane. “Take time to communicate your handover plan to [whomever is responsible for covering for you].”
Another tip is to set clear boundaries. Be ruthless when doing so.
“Tell yourself and others that you will not be checking your email or phone while you’re on holidays,” says Spillane, “Make a clear list of anything urgent that needs to be handled while you are away so you can delegate.”
Meehan advises putting an appropriate colleague in charge of checking your email with instruction that you should only be contacted if it’s urgent.
Tying up loose ends before you go can help too.
“Leave your affairs in the best order you can without making yourself so stressed that you ruin your holiday before it has begun,” says Meehan.
Also, try not to let the busy pace and focus on productivity that defines your working life set the tone for your holidays too.
“We are finding it harder and harder to switch off and one of the reasons is that there’s a pressure for us to make even our downtime productive or Instagram-worthy,” says Spillane. “But productivity is not a measure of your worth and holidays are a time for you to switch off and replenish your energy — whether that’s by lying on the couch watching Netflix, reading a book on a beach or simply spending time with family.”
The true value of holidays
Emma Early Murphy from Newbridge in Kildare knows the value of holidays. She is the national president of Network Ireland, runs the Balloon HQ event design agency with her husband, Noel, offers business coaching, and is a mother of two.
“All of this means that I really need my holidays,” she says. “I used to work in the corporate world and back then, all I had to do was book my time off in advance, but as soon as I became self-employed, that became more difficult. Switching off became more of a challenge. However, I eventually realised that, because the buck stops with me, it’s even more important for me to take time off. If I’m not well and healthy, I can’t run a business.”
Losing her father and father-in-law during the pandemic also made Early Murphy reassess her priorities.
“We all know how much money we have but we don’t know how much time we’ve got,” she says. “We should prioritise it.”
She now takes several holidays a year.
“As soon as we come back from one, we start planning the next,” she says.
She and her family were in Portugal for five days over Easter and plan to spend time in Donegal in July.
“My mother-in-law is from there and we visit as much as we can,” says Early Murphy. “We stay in a place in the hills where there’s no coverage, no wi-fi and no TV and I always come back feeling refreshed.”
Her strategies for switching off include turning out-of-office email on two days before she goes on holidays.
“That gives me time to attend to everything that needs to be done before I leave, including telling customers that I’ll be away and delegating tasks that need to be done while I’m gone,” she says. “I also leave the out-of-office email on for two days after I get back, which allows me to readjust to being back at work, clean up my inbox and attend to any tasks that require my attention. Then, while I’m on holiday, I try not to check my emails at all.”
In fact, she tries to put all thoughts of work from her mind entirely.
“I’m very structured in my day-to-day life because my busy schedule means I have to be, so when I’m on holiday, I try not to have any structure at all,” she says. “I try to think about nothing but the sun, the scenery and the people I’m with. That’s what I find replenishing. That’s what helps me to return to work feeling refreshed and invigorated.”
Meehan believes true relaxation leads to better versions of ourselves.
“When you truly disconnect while on holidays, you’ll come back as a better employee, boss, colleague, parent, sibling or partner,” she says. “Nobody can fill from an empty [jug], so replenish yours while you’re on holiday and enjoy it.”
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