Working throughout the year right up until the festive season will get you on the fast track to burnout. That’s where taking a quarterly holiday comes into the picture. Instead of pushing through 11 months of non-stop work before you can catch a well-deserved break, why not split your leave evenly between four quarterly holidays?
If you plan correctly, you can slot in a quarterly holiday over a weekend. By taking only three days off – say, for example, a Friday, a Monday, and a Tuesday, you get five uninterrupted days to relax, unwind and renew. When you work with a plan, you won’t end up using all your leave on one trip. Planning around public holidays and long weekends makes this even more possible.
On the off chance that you aren’t convinced a break every three months will do you good, we’re getting into the reasons why you should consider planning a quarterly holiday.
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5 reasons you should be taking quarterly holidays
- You’re preventing future burnout: Taking regular breaks throughout the year helps to prevent burnout and reduce stress levels. It gives you a chance to rest and recharge your batteries, so you can come back to work feeling refreshed and ready for the next 3-month leg. Looking forward to the next trip will also motivate you to get through those next three months without crashing toward burnout.
- You’ll improve your productivity: Quarterly holidays can help to improve your productivity and creativity. When you take a break, it allows your mind to relax and recharge, which can help to inspire new ideas and increase your overall productivity. Life is about balance, and there’s no balance in wearing yourself thin. If you want to produce good work without burning yourself out, creating a balance between work and play is important.
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- You’ll boost your mental health: Quarterly holidays are good for your mental health. They give you a chance to disconnect from work and technology, engage in activities you enjoy, and spend time with loved ones. We often get caught up in our 9-5 lives and lose touch with parts of ourselves that bring us a great deal of joy, love, and comfort. Taking time to reconnect with those parts of yourself is vital to your well-being and mental health. You’re not a productivity robot, you’re a person. Remember that.
- Exploration is good for the soul: Taking a quarterly holiday doesn’t always have to involve travel, but an adventure away always does so much for the soul. It allows you to explore new places and try new things, which is inspiring. On a trip away, you learn to broaden your horizons and learn about different cultures and create new memories. This is a great way to reconnect with yourself and remind yourself that there’s so much more to you and your journey than your 9-5 job.
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- Achieve a balance with family: Quarterly holidays can help you achieve a better work-life balance. If you take regular breaks with the family in tow, you’re also teaching your kids that it’s important to prioritise your loved ones and yourself. Spending that extra time together is valuable and will strengthen your connection as a family.
A holiday every three months? Count us in.
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Also see: Why you should start taking yourself on solo-dates
