Taking a vacation break: Making the recovery last longer

Over the holiday season, many might want to take a few days off to relax and recover from the end-of-the-year hassle at work. Research shows that vacations do in fact have short-term positive effects on well-being and health. Unfortunately, these positive effects fade our rather quickly after starting to work again. A study among teachers showed that high job demands after a vacation swiftly decreased the beneficial effects of a vacation. However, study participants who relaxed more after resuming work showed more stable recovery benefits from their vacation time. So winding down over the holiday season is great. But how about also making a new years resolution to relax and detach from work more regularly after the vacation?

Kühnel, J., & Sonnentag, S. (2011). How long do you benefit from vacation? A closer look at the fade-out of vacation effects. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 125-143.

The cresogo team wishes all our readers a relaxing holiday season and a successful 2017!