Workplace Wellbeing: Why a two-week holiday isn't enough for your physical or mental health

Psychotherapist and author of The Burnout Solution, Siobhán Murray, remembers how her uncle used to take August off work. “He was a builder and all builders took the month off,” she says. “It was just the done thing.” Murray believes that such holidays allowed for more restorative rest. “Compare it to the fortnight’s holiday we take today,” she says. “We pin so much hope on those two weeks, imagining that we’ll return to work feeling entirely rejuvenated. But two weeks isn’t enough, especially if you’ve got kids to mind and you go abroad and take on the stress of air travel over the holidays. On your first day back in the office after the holidays, you’re likely to be as tired as ever.” A month would be restorative.

“It’s a real opportunity to step away from the stress of the workplace and switch off entirely,” Murray says. “By the end of it, you’ll be ready to re-engage, with renewed energy, enthusiasm, and motivation.” Leisha Redmond McGrath is a work and organisational psychologist. She thinks that extended holidays are beneficial for people who are at risk of burnout.

“If you’re teetering on the edge, taking a month off can pull you back from the brink of burnout,” she says. “A week or two won’t achieve much. But a month off will enable you to set aside all thoughts of work and truly relax.” Perfectionists have a lot to gain from taking longer holidays, too, according to Redmond McGrath. “This is because they can find it hard to unwind, which means they take longer to switch off,” she says.

Those of us who aren’t perfectionists or who haven’t quite reached the burnout level of overwork gain from taking longer holidays too. This is especially true if we spend some of our time off away from home.

“A 2016 Harvard Medical School study (exa.mn/qtp) found that the stress markers in people’s blood went down after six days in a holiday resort,” says Redmond McGrath.

“So did the level of proteins associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Physically, going on holidays is good for us.” Our psychological wellbeing improves, too. “Whether we’re at work or at home, most of us are busy doing things all the time,” says Redmond McGrath.

“What often falls by the wayside is our connection with ourselves, with other people, and with nature. Taking an extended period of time off allows us to bring everything back into balance.” For Murray, it’s the opportunity to connect with ourselves that is particularly important. “We spend the majority of our lives being defined by what we do, but holidays give us the space to rediscover who we are,” she says.

“Often, when we take time to reflect, we realise that we’re not making time for the simple things that give us joy, like going for a walk, reading books, or listening to music. Being on the work treadmill can leave us with no time to think. A long holiday lets us step back and really assess our lives.” Redmond McGrath cuts back on work during the summer. “I don’t see clients in July or August and focus, instead, on research and reading,” she says. “Investing in myself in this way means I come back to work feeling fresher. It also gives me the chance to question how I’m doing things and if there are ways in which I can manage my work and my life better.” While it’s worth doing this at any stage of the year, she thinks summer is uniquely suitable.

“Sunshine lifts the mood and motivates us to do things,” she says. “We’re more likely to spend time outside in nature and attending picnics, festivals, and other events with family, friends, and community. We can get a real sense of what life has to offer outside the routine and rigidity of work.” Deirdre McLoughlin, a developmental coach from Galway, started taking long holidays in recent years. She used to work as a manufacturing director in a medical-devices company.

“I loved the job, but didn’t like having to be in work all day every day and going from year to year with fixed-term holidays,” she says.

She set up her own business to have more flexibility. “I trained in psychotherapy and worked as a psychotherapist and now I’m a coach,” she says. “I still work hard, at least 30 to 40 hours a week, but for the past four years, I’ve taken July and August off.” She doesn’t go travelling or work on projects during this time. “I just bloom where I’m planted,” she says.

“I garden, go for walks and cycles, meet friends and attend the Galway Arts Festival. It’s the time away from work, to just think and be, that gives me the energy I need to return to work once summer is over.”

McLoughlin recognises her privilege. Not every can afford to go without two months’ salary every year. “I don’t have the same financial responsibilities I had earlier in my career,” she says. “I know that the practicalities of life mean that no everyone can do what I do.” However, she emphasises that she doesn’t spend much money while she’s off. “I simply enjoy being at home in Galway,” she says. “That makes it more affordable.”

Redmond McGrath agrees that long holidays don’t have to cost that much.

“People budget throughout the year or do things like making 11 mortgage payments a year, instead of 12, in order to afford to take time off over the summer,” she says. “Also, there are ways of being on holiday without spending a lot of money, like cooking at home, taking daytrips nearby, or going to stay with family and friends.” It may be easy to convince employees of the benefits of long holidays, but what about employers?

Murray thinks they also have something to gain. “People who are well rested are likely to be healthier, more engaged, more creative and more productive,” she says.

“Knowing that their employer prioritises their wellbeing also makes them more loyal, which lowers staff turnover. These are real advantages for employers.” However, a month-long holiday won’t solve the problem of work-life imbalance.

“The idea isn’t to hold on by your fingernails for 11 months, only to collapse in exhaustion come August,” says Redmond McGrath.

“There needs to be balance throughout the year.” Murray advises combining one long holiday with shorter breaks every quarter. “I recommend taking the equivalent of a long weekend, from Thursday to Tuesday, off work four times a year to switch off and maintain energy levels,” she says.

McLoughlin’s suggestion to those of us who can’t take two months’ holidays is to factor more rest into our daily lives. “People worry about managing their time, but I think they should focus more on managing their energy,” she says.

“If we let our energy levels run low, the end result is burnout. We need to get enough sleep, eat well, take breaks during our working day, drink enough water and allow time for our relationships.

“That should help to maintain a sense of balance and wellbeing throughout the year.”