By Aily Foo – Senior Consultant, Temporary & Contract, Links International Hong Kong
Feel frustrated at work? Perhaps it’s time to take a break!
Work is an important part of our lives not only because it brings in a salary, but also in order to continually upgrade our skill-sets and give our lives meaning. On the other hand, however, holidays are also vital for anyone who works.
I recently took a two-week holiday to the United States (thanks to Links for sponsoring my flight as a result of my hard work in 2015!). It was a wonderful experience for me as I had never been there before. During this holiday, I saw different things, experienced another way of life and discovered another angle to my own working life.
Why is it important to take holidays?
A chance to discover your colleagues’ strengths
Due to the time difference between Hong Kong and the States, I wasn’t able to reply to emails immediately. Therefore, I had to fully trust my teammates to back up my desk during my absence. I knew that they would be fine and, in fact, I saw that my team was doing an amazing job and I was very impressed.
Reading over the email chains, you can figure out who is good at different tasks and, in this way, you can discover their strengths and provide more opportunities for them in the future.
Holidays help you to recover/refresh
Getting away from the busy city and escaping to somewhere natural can help to calm your stress and rejuvenate your soul. This not only helps your emotional health but also helps mentally. I went to a national park for two days where there was no wifi. I found these two days to be the most relaxing, as I could actually chat with friends face to face without being disturbed by any phone calls, whatsapp messages, and so on.
When we look at things with a bit of perspective, challenges we face daily are probably not as stressful as we think they are at the time. I learnt to see issues from the other side, which has taught me to be calmer when facing difficulties and find better solutions.
Networking
Travelling creates opportunities to meet with different people from around the world. Meeting new friends not only improves your social life, but, if you listen to what have they experienced, maybe they can turn out to be your potential customers or clients in the future.
Increase productivity at work
Every time I start a new task, I feel energetic and fresh. After a vacation, no matter if it was a long one or a short one, I feel fully recharged and more enthusiastic about work. Therefore, I believe that holidays increase your productivity in the office. Before the holiday starts and once I return to my desk, I usually work extra hard to compensate for the days on which I am on leave. As you can imagine, in recruitment, when you are away from your desk, productivity can sometimes drop. Holidays can boost your productivity! It is therefore beneficial not just for yourself but also for the company for you to take a holiday!
Contemplate changing jobs
When you’re sat at your desk and frantically busy with work, it’s hard to find the time to think about anything else. If you’re unhappy at work, you never get the chance to do anything about it or even consider any alternative options. Taking some time off allows you to look at things with a bit of perspective and think about if that is really the job for you, or if you should start looking for another. Although it’s important to relax and enjoy your holiday, if you have an hour or two free, it’s also a good chance to update your CV and maybe see what else is out there.
Are you feeling tired and unenthusiastic at work? Perhaps it’s time to plan your next holiday. When you get back, if you already feel like you need another holiday, then perhaps a job change is what you need. Let us help with this – contact us now.