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How to really relax while on vacation
How to really relax while on vacation
Anonim

Many believe that the best way to recover from a tough workday is to take a long vacation. The life hacker found out what science says about this.

How to really relax while on vacation
How to really relax while on vacation

Sociologist Sabine Sonnentag of the University of Constance has been studying this issue with other scientists for 20 years. In their opinion, there are several factors that determine the quality of the rest.

Leisure

The most understandable factor of all. Sonnentag and her colleague Charlotte Fritz define leisure as a state in which we experience joy without much effort. For example, when we watch movies and TV shows, we are lying on the beach, sightseeing, we go shopping. For the most part, this is a passive vacation, although some people prefer skiing or climbing on their vacations, which are also good options if they are fun.

Control

In this context, control means that we ourselves decide how to spend our time and energy. For people who don't have many important decisions to make at work and whose schedule outside the office is packed with family chores, being able to manage their time gives them a sense of freedom.

Activity

Activities here mean activities that are good for a person and that require concentration and effort. They should make you fully immerse yourself in the process and bring inner satisfaction. According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, such hobbies make our life more fulfilling.

Ability not to think about work

For the first time, the importance of this factor was studied by Israeli sociologists Dalia Etzion, Dov Eden and Yael Lapidot using the example of working people before and after the annual military training (most Israelis are required to serve in the army after leaving school, and then they are annually called up for reservist fees).

The researchers analyzed the level of engagement and energy of reservists in comparison with their civilian work. It turned out that the indicators of stress and emotional burnout were significantly lower after training than before. Although the reservist service is difficult, it provides an opportunity to abstract from the daily routine and problems at the main job.

They also found that after a month of gathering, the resting effect disappeared. Neurologist Beth McQuiston notes a similar pattern in the case of vacation: the positive effect lasts 3-4 weeks. She advises taking vacation for 1-2 weeks, but regularly.

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