By Edward J. Thomas –
Americans may long for travel and vacations, but a surprisingly low percentage actually take time off and truly unplug. Maybe it is part of the country’s workaholic culture or the fact that Americans on average don’t get as much time off as their counterparts in other countries. Whatever the reason, skipping an extended getaway is not a recipe for good physical or mental well-being. Don’t break from vacations—taking time to rest and recharge isn’t just a luxury; it’s essential for overall health and productivity.
A recent meta-analysis of 32 studies from nine countries, in fact, suggests that not only are vacations more beneficial for boosting employee well-being than previously thought, but the positive effects of an annual break can have lasting benefits.
“Job demands and job stress are on the rise. But people think that they can’t take time off because they don’t want to look bad or lose out on an opportunity for promotion,” reported Ryan Grant, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Georgia. “We think working more is better, but we actually perform better by taking care of ourselves. We need to break up these intense periods of work with intense periods of rest and recuperation.”
Americans, as noted, are notoriously reluctant to take breaks. Less than 60 percent, in fact, took a vacation in 2024, citing a variety of reasons including limited time, job pressures and expense. A significant percentage of Americans also don’t take all their vacation time off, even if they just stay at home.
The university’s research team stressed that not all vacations are created equal or have the same restorative benefits. Employees must psychologically disengage from work on their vacations in order to yield the biggest health benefits.
“If you’re not at work but you’re thinking about work on vacation, you might as well be at the office,” Grant said. “Vacations are one of the few opportunities we get to fully just disconnect from work.”
This equates to not answering emails, taking work calls or even thinking about the office.
The analysis also reported that engaging in physical activities while on vacation generates higher levels of well-being and restoration. This, however, doesn’t have to mean doing drastic hikes or runs while on break.
“Basically, anything that gets your heart rate up is a good option,” Grant said. “Plus, a lot of physical activities you’re doing on vacation, like snorkeling, for example, are physical. So, they’re giving you the physiological and mental health benefits. But they’re also unique opportunities for these really positive experiences that you probably don’t get in your everyday life.”
Longer vacations, not surprisingly, offer larger benefits for employees, especially once they head back to work, the research reported. One caveat, however, was found. Some individuals can experience a deeper letdown after extended breaks.
Avoiding these setbacks requires vacationers to give themselves enough time before leaving to plan and pack properly and incorporate a couple of days off after returning to ease back into work mode, the researchers said.
