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A rest is as good as a change
As it’s the time of year when many people take their holiday (and in case you hadn’t realised) here are some of the benefits of taking a regular break from work.
Why do employers offer holidays as part of their contractual terms? The obvious answer is that they have to – it’s a legal requirement. But a less apparent answer is because they recognise the importance and value of time away from the workplace. That old adage – all work and no play makes Jill a dull girl – is true.
It’s an amazing fact (to me, anyway) that many people still do not take all the holidays they are entitled to. Are they the indispensable people holding the fort whilst others go off and enjoy themselves in the sunshine? Probably not – just those who haven’t yet seen the many benefits of relaxing, having fun or just plain doing something different.
So what are the benefits?
- Time to switch off from your routine day to day activities
- An opportunity to recharge your batteries
- New experiences and horizons which give us new information and insights
- Time with friends, family or all on our own, depending on our circumstances and preferences, can remind us of what is important to us
- A chance to revisit our life and work goals. Is what we are doing helping us to achieve them, or perhaps the reverse…?
The cliché – a change is as good as a rest – made me think about our resistance to change. If we recognise that change is good, what stops us from seeing it in that positive light? Probably if change is imposed rather than something we choose to do ourselves. Which is why holidays and time away from regular activities often prompts us to make those big changes in our lives like a new house, a new job or a new partner.
What will it be for you? Will you be sitting at the same desk doing the same thing this time next year? Imagine you are. How will you feel about that? Whether you decide to make changes on return from this year’s break, make sure they fit with who you are and what matters to you.
And most importantly, to get maximum benefit from your holiday, leave the Blackberry at home, steer clear of your work email inbox until you get back to work!
If you’ve decided it’s time for a change and you want to work out what’s important to you and then do something about it, get in touch.
Some interesting links:
The traits of a leader – why should anyone be led by you?
All I do is work here – a depressingly familiar experience for many of us. And read through to the end for the real message ....
Some recent articles on the PurpleLine blog:
Ace the interview – how to make that interview work for you
How positive psychology can boost your business – how optimism and cheerfulness can impact on the bottom line and is an approach to build on
The role of HR – when deciding whether a career in HR is for you, you need to understand what the role of HR in an organisation is.
If you’re in HR and want to take time out to plan your next career move, visit CoachingforHR.co.uk to see how we can support you to do this.
Are there particular topics you’d like to see covered in future newsletters? Please let me have your suggestions.
And who else could benefit from reading this too?
Till next month,
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