Relaxed on holiday - enjoy the best relaxation with these expert tips

Ready for the island? Why we all need holidays

What does holiday mean and what do we need it for? This question is answered by a Frankfurt psychology professor. The expert explains how well-planned and well-managed holidays can provide a long-term work-life balance. The psychologist gives tips on how the best time of the year does not become a stress trap.

Professor Nikolai Egold is a psychologist and head of the Psychology School at the Hochschule Fresenius in Frankfurt. In a science blog at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences he explains why holidays are so important to us and how we can make the most of them. According to the expert, a five-day week is only theoretically available to the majority of the working population. For a long time, the double burden of education or care as well as the new possibilities of digitization have blurred the areas between working hours and leisure time.

Summer, sun, beach and sea - the dream of many people. A psychology professor tells us why we all need holiday so badly and how we can get the best recreational effect out of it. (Image: Thaut Images / fotolia.com)

Available around the clock

Five days of work, two days off - that's what the workload of many working people looks like on paper. "The decisive factor is not the official or legally regulated working hours," reports the expert from Fresenius. According to the Federal Statistical Office, an average of eleven percent of all full-time employees work more than 48 hours a week. Added to this is the voluntary working hours that are being provided in the course of increasing digitization from home. Many workers respond to work emails and phone calls during their free time, even on weekends or after work.

The fairytale of the five-day week

According to the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, almost half of all working women (46.5 percent) are employed part-time and at the same time take care of childcare and care for relatives later in life. These are double burdens, which are to continue on the weekends. Thus, according to the psychologist, the idea of ​​a five-day workweek today only applies to a small proportion of the working population, which is predominantly male.

Really switch off

"On holiday, we have the opportunity to benefit from a true recovery, as long as work-related activities are kept to a minimum and accessibility is only used in emergencies," explains Egold. It is important to really switch off, to be able to enjoy consciously. Holidays are essential for well-being and efficiency.

Do not turn the holiday into a stress trap

Just relax? Easier said than done. What can we do on holiday to unwind? Climb a mountain? Go on safari? Or lounging on balconies? In the psychologist's opinion, it's not what we do, it's how we do it. There are two crucial aspects that are conducive to a relaxing holiday.

Good preparation prevents unnecessary stress

A good preparation promotes the anticipation of the holiday in advance and also reduces the stress, which is taken by unfinished with on vacation. If you need to buy a train ticket quickly, book a hotel room or a holiday apartment or have to take care of the pets, you quickly end up in unnecessary stress, which reduces the recreational effect.

No unrealistic expectations

Psychologists believe that conscious anticipation is very important. Here are unrealistic expectations to avoid, so as not to be disappointed. For example, one should not expect too many romantic hours as a couple when traveling with children on vacation, according to the Fresenius expert.

Less is more

Likewise, too many undertakings could become stressful. On vacation, the same deadline should not arise, as is often the case in the workplace. Vacation also meant being free, spontaneous and mood-dependent to be able to decide on an activity. Nevertheless, it would not hurt to face an unknown challenge on holiday, such as exploring a new area or trying out a new sport. This could help build cognitive resources, Egold said.

How do you know that you are ready for vacation??

The psychology professor explains that humans have a very individual and different sense of stress. Basically, vacation is always advisable when the feeling arises at work, that one is only required and you suffer from increased irritability, fatigue or constant exhaustion. Even if you feel no joy or satisfaction through the work, it is high time for the island.

How much vacation does a person need??

Egold reports studies that have shown increased performance and satisfaction of up to four weeks following the holiday. This increase is rather low. Amazingly, the duration of the holiday does not have much effect on the subsequent positive effects. In the opinion of the experts, a longer vacation paired with several shorter breaks is the optimal mixture for relaxation so that the positive effects can be repeated as often as possible during the year. (Vb)