First, it was the laptop we brought home “just in case”. Then it was the smartphone on the bedside table. Now it is the smartwatch on our wrist, vibrating through dinner, school runs, holidays and sleep.
We call it convenience, but for many people, it has become a constant state of high alert. Work emails arrive after hours. WhatsApp messages wait for instant replies. We are always ‘on call’.
“And that is exactly why taking a proper holiday has become less of a luxury and more of a necessity,” says Onwaba Gonyora, Director at Brahman Hills. “If we want to switch on stronger when we get back to work and everyday life, we have to learn how to switch off properly while we’re away.”
Research supports the need for a proper break. A 2018 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that even one short holiday had positive effects on perceived stress, recovery, strain and wellbeing, with some benefits still evident 30 to 45 days after the break¹.
Gonyora says that taking a break should be viewed as essential maintenance, not an indulgence. “Most of us would never ignore a warning light on the dashboard of our car and simply keep driving as if nothing was wrong,” she says. “Yet when our own bodies start sending signals; poor sleep, low energy, irritability, brain fog or constant exhaustion, we just keep going. A proper holiday gives you the chance to stop, breathe and recover, so that when you return, you are not just back online,…
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