The health benefits of taking a holiday and how to make them last longer

Disclaimer: This DevLog is intended to help anyone, who is in a similar situation we are in at the moment. Everyone has to make their own decisions. This merely is our own honest view and opinion, based on our experience. We would love to hear from you, what you think about it all. We wish you all the success and fun you deserve with the development and release of your game! eXplore Studio

Holiday, the word itself calls for an adventure, an adventure that we can write as we want. For some, it might be spending quality time with family and friends, for others, it is a great opportunity to explore the  world, learn about new cultures and traditions, and connect with people we meet along the way. Yet, taking a holiday is much more. The health benefits of taking a holiday are undeniable, for our physical and mental health alike. Indeed, research shows that taking a break from work and our daily routines helps to reduce our stress levels and the many associated harmful symptoms like high blood pressure, anxiety, or even depression. Moreover, a holiday is the perfect time to take a break from late nights in front of the computer screen and to enjoy a few nights of restful sleep. We appropriately (re)-introduce regular sleeping patterns that help boost our body’s immune system, making it easier to choose healthy and active options during the day. There is also no doubt that we are more inclined to eat healthier food and be more active while on vacation, whether we explore our holiday destination on foot or we try a new physical activity. We have more time, and we make better choices. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that taking some time away from home, makes us more creative and productive. A holiday helps defining a happier and more positive mindset that improves focus and clarity, sparks creativity and new ideas, and  makes us work more efficiently while reducing the risk of burnout.

It definitely appears that the benefits of taking a holiday are indisputable for both our physical and mental health so how can we make them last longer, once we are back in our own environment? Obviously, we might not experience the same degree of well-being as taking a holiday, but there are certainly some measures we can easily implement in our everyday life that will help keeping these health benefits for longer. For instance, we can schedule daily and weekly breaks, and secure these specific moments away from work to go outside for some physical activity and/or to meet people we like. It might not seem much at first, but a change of scenery often has a positive impact on our mindset. Sometimes, pushing ourselves to head outside during a challenging and stressful day helps provide some clarity in what the tasks actually look like, making them easier to complete with less pressure. Or we can simply use the time to disconnect from work and spend it doing something we enjoy: reading a book, watching a show, playing other games than the one we are currently developing, listening to a podcast… Additionally, we can plan some meals ahead of time and make sure we sit down to eat them.  We also need to make sure that we sleep enough, and do not give up those regular sleeping patterns we had reintroduced during our holiday…

It is in our own hands to make the benefits of taking a holiday last longer, we just need to make it happen…