November 25, 2013
TIP FOR A GREAT WORK WEEK
Make Your Vacation Last  Longer 

Vacations are considered a way to step away from work, recover from physical and mental stressors, and return more engaged. Although a vacation offers pleasure and rejuvenation in the moment, much research shows that a vacation's positive effects last for only 1-4 weeks. After that, the vacation effect "fades out" and we return to baseline levels of health and well-being. 

 

To keep the positive effects of vacations lasting longer, the research suggests:

  1. Be active during your vacation. The health and wellness improvements during vacations are stronger for those who engaged in physical activities than those who took passive vacations.
  2. Share stories. Back at the office, get together with coworkers over breaks or lunch to share stories and look at each others photos. This will keep your positive vacation stories alive in your mind and increase your feelings of social inclusion at work.
  3. Make relaxing a habit. What did you find most most relaxing and rejuvenating about your vacation?  Incorporating these activities into your routine after you return may keep the positive effects of vacation from fading out so quickly.

K�hnel, J., & Sonnentag, S. (2011). How long do you benefit from vacation? A closer look at the fade-out of vacation effects. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 32(1), 125-143.

 

de Bloom, J., Geurts, S. A., Sonnentag, S., Taris, T., de Weerth, C., & Kompier, M. A. (2011). How does a vacation from work affect employee health and well-being?. Psychology & Health, 26(12), 1606-1622.

FORESIGHT BLOG

Write the Next Chapter in Your Career Story  

 

Have you ever thought about your life as a novel that is constantly unfolding around you?  As a coach, the work I do with career transitions clients is informed by narrative identity, an approach that believes we construct our identities through the stories that we tell ourselves and others. In this model, your identity is not fixed, but open to change and reconstruction based on the choices you make and the stories you want to be able to tell about yourself. Read more about narrative identity

 

Becoming the author of your career puts you in the position to write the story you want to live. If your resolution for 2014 is to write the next chapter in your career story, consider Foresight Coaching's new career transitions program that incorporates narrative identity and positive psychology. The eight week program includes weekly one-on-one coaching and activities that guide you through:

  • Identifying your natural strengths, motivations, and values
  • Creating a personal career biography
  •  Articulating how you can serve yourself and others through your work
  • Removing barriers to living your story - within yourself and your environment
  • Getting started writing and living your next chapter

E-mail paula@theforesightcoach.com for a complimentary 30 minute phone call to learn more about the program and writing your next career chapter in 2014.  

 

FORESIGHT NOT @ WORK

Brain Bites will be taking a vacation for the next two weeks. Check your inbox on Monday, January 6, 2014 for your next Brain Bite. Enjoy the holidays!  

www.theforesightcoach.com                                   paula@theforesightcoach.com
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