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Inspiration

Take a good, long break

acation. It means different things to different pact of a resort vacation and a meditation retreat
people. For some, sticking near home for what on biological measures and immune function, and
many call a "staycation," catching up on a few found that resort vacations had an immediate posi-
V home projects and taking day trips to local tive impact on stress and immune function and
attractions is just the thing. For others, adventure is what meditation retreats boosted antiviral activity.
brings them alive. And that could be scaling Half Dome at
Yosemite or "glamping" in a rented tent so plush it's like 2. Breaks make you more productive. Citing the
being at a five-star resort in the woods. work of Sabine Sonnentag, a professor of organi-
zational psychology at University of Mannheim in
We're now in the midst of summer in North America, a Germany, Seppala wrote that, according to Sonnen-
time when people traditionally take their allotted time off. tag, disengaging from work when away from the of-
Yet with Americans working longer and longer hours and fice "makes us more resilient in the face of stress and
being always available 24/7 anywhere in the world, vaca- more productive and engaged at work." This is true,
tions are becoming more fantasy than reality. And for en- she added, even for short weekend getaways.
trepreneurs, like so many professionals in the payments
sphere, it's hard to let go even for just a few days. 3. A change of pace boosts creativity. Seppala men-
tioned a University of Utah study, which found that
There's always something urgent that needs tending. Plus, "hiking in nature disconnected from all devices for
with inflation cutting into travel budgets and uncertainty four days—a very unusual experience in our day
about when the next COVID wave will hit and how viru- and age—led to a 50 percent spike in creativity."
lent it will be, many are scaling back or postponing their
time off. I strongly believe, however, that neglecting our Countries highly influenced by the Protestant work ethic,
need to take breaks from our work lives, both physical and such as the United States, place great value on industrious-
mental, is shortsighted and not in our business or personal ness, unlike countries like France, which are influenced by
interests. Catholicism, a salvation-based religion, Seppala noted.
Benefits to time off So if you live in the United States, taking all of your vaca-
tion days might be a challenge. It's sometimes easier to just
In "Why You Should Take More Time Off Work," pub- work on rather than handle planning, delegation and do-
lished in Greater Good Magazine, Emma Seppala, Ph.D., ing without your smartphone for an extended period. But
wrote, "Ironically, while Americans may pride themselves if you want to stay on top of your game in the payments
on their hard work and dedication, research suggests that sphere, vacations must be an integral part of your mix.
we will actually work harder, perform better, and have
greater health, stamina, and enthusiasm for our work if
we take time off." She listed the following key benefits to
vacations:
1. Vacations are relaxing and good for your health.
Scientists from UC San Francisco looked at the im-
Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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