6 ways to make your holidays matter

Can I de-stress before I go away?

A study following 96 Dutch workers in the run-up to their vacation found that health and wellbeing decreased in the week before departure. Researchers, Nawijn et al, found that decline was related to rising levels of workload and was even more pronounced in women, who additionally experienced a rise in home load. Several studies suggest that even on arrival, the first days of holiday are spoiled by high blood pressure, poor sleep quality and bad mood as well as more serious bodily symptoms such as fever, migraine or an upset stomach.

Try: exercising in the run-up to your holiday.

Smooth the transition to holiday time by exercising more before you go. This will help you to mentally disengage from your work, get rid of the stress hormones and prevent physical complaints during your first days off.

Am I going somewhere I want to go?

Psychologist Jessica de Bloom and her colleagues from Nijmegen University conducted a diary study on the feeling of wellbeing from workers who'd had a one-week winter sports holiday. 60 per cent of participants reported a substantial increase in health and well-being during and after their vacation. However, those who reported no difference, or even felt worse when they returned, tended to be those who derived relatively little pleasure from winter sports activities.

Try: asking yourself what you really want from a destination before you press 'book'. (Note to self: maybe just going skiing just for the hot chocolate isn't a good enough reason.) 

How do I leave work behind?

For many of us, boundaries between work and private life are non-existent, especially now that we can work everywhere. 'Laptops, tablets and smartphones ensure that we can stay connected to work around the clock. For many people, vacationing means spending a lot of money to stare at their phone in exotic locations, says de Bloom.

Try: being boundaried about phone and laptop usage. Or, take a leaf out of car maker, Daimler's book, who ask employees to write on their out-of-office message: 'I am on vacation. Your message is being deleted. Please resend your email after I'm back in the office.' 

Have I chosen my travel companions wisely?

Although some studies have shown that you may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and even premature coronary death by jetting off on regular jollies, unfortunately, for some people with a pre-existing problem, it seems holidays and holiday travel can be the trigger for a heart attack. Willem Kop from Tilburg University and colleagues found that risk was greatest during the first two days with car travel, traffic jams and irritating travel companions being stand-out adverse factors. 

Try: being realistic about how you spend time together with companions. As Malene Gram at Aalborg University in Denmark suggests, 'enjoy intense moments of togetherness, but make sure to give every family member time and space, too.'

Have I learnt the language?

Learning the lingo of your destination country could help you more than just ordering a drink. According to research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, it may also improve the accuracy of your memories of your trip. Leigh H. Grant at the University of Chicago and colleagues studied native Mandarin Chinese speakers who also knew English. They found that when the participants used their foreign language, they were less susceptible to developing false memories.

Try: dusting down the Duolingo app – you may not have remembered more than you think.

How do I keep the post-holiday benefits?

New research by psychologist Ryan Grant has challenged the previously held belief that the benefit of time away from work is short-lived. Interestingly, it also points to what we do with our time away and the impact it can have on our wellbeing. Although previous research has suggested that post-holiday benefits vanish quickly, this study found that wellbeing stayed elevated even 21 days after returning. The researchers estimate that the positive effects could, in fact, last up to 43 days.

Try: a spa break perhaps? The strongest wellbeing gains came from those who were able to mentally detach from work and who focused on relaxation.

And avoid the back-to-work blues?

A commitment to maintaining relaxing activities in the evening after work can help to savour your 'holiday afterglow', say researchers, Kühnel & Sonnentag, who found that with some tricks and tweaks we can maintain our holiday high.

Try: making every day a holiday. Integrate your personal 'holiday happiness' ingredients into everyday life and celebrate mini holidays at home. Go for a swim in the morning, a nap or a picnic in the park during your lunch break, and maybe play board games instead of watching TV for one evening per week.