Taking walking holidays and other active breaks can significantly facilitate the return to a work routine afterwards, a recent study has shown.
Commissioned last December by a leading travel operator, the study canvassed roughly 2.000 British citizens, and yielded surprising results. Analysis of the sample revealed no less than 82% of those interviewed had difficulty returning to a regular work schedule and routine after a break, with one in five oversleeping, one in ten missing deadlines, and about 17% making mistakes on the first few days back from their holiday. In addition, 31% of parties interviewed also stated that it took them longer to complete tasks on the first four or so days back at the office, while 25% admitted to forgetting how to do their jobs on the course of their holiday! Another 25% mentioned that their superiors or work colleagues had commented on their sluggishness during these periods.
When asked about the reasons for this slower uptake after returning from a break, 45% of the interviewees blamed the ‘holiday state of mind’, while another 45% recognised that their brains had lapsed into a state of excessive relaxation as a result of the lack of activity. A staggering 85% believed they needed extra time off to get back into the swing of things, and 45% actually followed through and booked extra days off straight after their holiday. One in four admitted to having obtained these extra days off by calling in sick.
Unsurprisingly, the study also discovered that those who keep themselves active on their break — engaging in activities such as walking holidays, extreme sports, cycling or hiking — have significantly less trouble returning to a normal schedule. According to the survey, this is because the active nature of their holiday prevented their brains from lapsing into a state of total relaxation, which in turn facilitates the return to ‘active mode’ at the end of the down time.
A related survey recently conducted by the University of Yonsei presented similar data, with researchers concluding that holidaymakers who take sports-oriented breaks — particularly skiers — are happier and more relaxed at the end of their break than those taking ‘regular’ holidays.
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