How To Avoid Vacation Stress
White sandy beaches, some palm trees, a pool, and endless sunshine. Most people can’t wait to leave work behind and start their dream vacation. The reality of vacation is often different. In a poll of 2,000 Americans conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Exodus Travels, 55% of respondents said their most recent vacation did not live up to their expectations. Another study published in Tourism Review showed that many U.S. vacation travelers experience significant stress at their destination. What makes some vacations stressful?
Vacation Stress
Leaving for a vacation can be stressful. Research shows that in the two weeks leading up to a vacation, employees’ stress levels go up significantly. Pre-vacation stress can be related to planning the vacation, such as booking activities or planning travel to and from the airport. A great deal of pre-departure stress, however, is work-related. Wrapping up last-minute work tasks that need to get done, or finding coworkers who can step in if a work emergency occurs during vacation.
Once at a destination, there is still no guarantee that you can enjoy a cocktail by the pool. Frequently experienced destination stressors include travel time, care for children, disappointing accommodation, and accidents. Another reason that many employees do not enjoy their vacation is that they keep thinking about work. According to a 2023 survey among 600 employees by Harris Poll and Ceridian HCM Inc., 50% of American employees find it difficult to disconnect from work while on vacation.
The Fade-out Effect
On top of possible stress before and during vacation, returning to work can be stressful too. For many employees, work piles up in their absence, making the return to work a tough wake-up call. Perhaps it comes as no surprise then, that the beneficial effects of vacation typically do not last longer than one to four weeks.
If vacations come with a fair amount of stress and the relaxing feeling afterward does not last long, why would we bother taking them? Despite potential vacation stressors, research consistently finds that vacations have a beneficial effect on employee health and well-being. Taking frequent vacations has even been linked to a reduced risk of death. How then, can we take a vacation that is not stressful? Here are some tips to limit vacation stress while fully enjoying its benefits.
Tips for Low-Stress Vacations
1. Plan work. Given that worries about work can arise before and during vacation, plan work well in advance. If you have this level of control at work, schedule fewer tasks the week before your vacation, leaving time for work emergencies. Blocking off a buffer day before you leave can also help with staying ahead of last-minute work requests.
2. Short but frequent. If you have less control over your workload, another strategy is to take short but more frequent vacations. This makes the backlog you return to less insurmountable. It might also be easier to truly disconnect from work during your vacation knowing that you will only be gone for a week.
3. Off-schedule. Another tactic for those who find it difficult to let go of work is to schedule vacations from Wednesday to Wednesday. This gives you two days in the first week to organize your work, and two days the week after to get it back in shape.
4. Outsource. Vacations are most effective when you get time to do what you really enjoy. If you travel as a family with children, consider arranging a sitter for a few hours or taking shifts with your partner. Having only one hour to yourself each day can make a big difference.
5. Limit Travel. Consider staying closer to home to limit travel hassles or jet lag. Whereas a change of scenery often helps with truly detaching from work, the question is whether you must fly ten hours to find this scenery. Explore if there are destinations closer to home that will give you a vacation feeling.
6. Plan the next vacation. To take advantage of the pre-fun that comes with having a vacation on the horizon, plan your next vacation upon your return. It is reassuring to know that you will get a break from work again and that it will give you something to look forward to.
There are indisputable benefits to taking a vacation. At the same time, vacations are not without stress. Rather than skipping vacations altogether, the trick is to plan your vacation and your work well, and to schedule some time that only you control. When a vacation is truly refreshing, it not only makes us feel better, but also gives us the resilience to deal with work challenges, if only for a few weeks.
