Attention workaholics: Switching off this week is crucial for your health

That’s an order 

Whether your office has totally shut down for the next two weeks or you’ve put your hand up to man the phones and inboxes over the festive season, here’s why finding some time to completely detach will be worth your while. 

It’s one thing to dip into your emails while taking a week off during the middle of the year,  tempted by the threads and calendar invites that continue to roll in even when you’re OOO. 

But, if you can’t find a reason to rest and relax during a time when the whole world switches off, you’ve got yourself a big problem. 

While it’s true that detaching from work has never been more difficult – thanks to our interconnectedness and constant proximity to our phones, laptops and wifi connection – it has also never been more important. 

What never switching off does to your health

Like most people crawling towards the finish line of 2024, we’ve also been feeling the weight of the year that was – both in and out of the workplace. 

No matter your occupation, 12 months of clocking in and clocking out of work each day inevitably takes its toll, especially if you don’t properly allow your body, mind and soul to rest and recuperate every now and then. 

Just as an interrupted night of sleep can leave you feeling like a zombie the next day, a year at work without any leave will quickly lead to burnout, stress, and anxiety – three things that are far easier to address the earlier you approach them. 

According to a number of different studies looking at how rest and time away from work impact our well-being, there is no magic number of days or holiday locations that provide more benefits than others. 

For example, positive changes were observed in all individuals who took breaks from work, regardless of whether they stayed in a hotel for two weeks or simply rested at home for a few days. Participants reported improved levels of stress and anxiety, as well as an increase in physical activity, sleep, and improved personal relationships. 

Finding some time to completely detach will be worth your while. Image: Pexels

We’re all entitled to rest

Thanks to instant messaging and widespread internet connectivity, there is an expectation in most workplaces that employees are always ‘on’, or at least should be contactable anytime, anywhere. 

As a result, employees are left feeling anxious or on edge even when they clock off for the day. And despite annual leave being an available option for workers, the culture of many workplaces can make taking it quite difficult. 

For example, employees within small teams already juggling a heavy workload may feel guilty temporarily dumping their workload on colleagues to go on holiday.

As a result, Australian workers have reportedly banked up 160 million unused annual leave days, indicating a concerning number of people are ignoring their right to disconnect and rest during holiday periods. 

A concerning number of people are ignoring their right to disconnect and rest during holiday periods. Image: iStock

Thankfully, the right to disconnect laws were passed earlier this year in Australia, legally protecting workers who choose to ignore work communications occurring outside contracted work hours, such as while they are on leave or late at night. 

It’s an important step in helping workers access and take advantage of the professional benefits available to them – but the effectiveness of the new laws is yet to be seen. 

"It's a very positive step forward, but it will still be quite challenging to ignore a manager if they contact you out of hours," Rachael Potter from the Centre for Workplace Excellence at the University of South Australia tells the ABC.

"We need a culture that doesn't encourage and reward sending late-night emails, and it's up to an employer to set the tone,” she adds.

So, if a few days of good quality rest at home can be just as beneficial for our well-being as a weeks-long trip across the globe, here are a few tips to make the most out of whatever break you manage to carve out for yourself this festive season. 

You'll never regret a holiday – but you will regret working thorugh it. Image: Pexels

#1. Step away from the laptop

While it may be tempting to indulge in a Netflix binge this break, experts suggest abstaining from activities that mimic your usual workplace routine – i.e. anything that involves staring at a screen for hours on end. 

#2. Get outside and touch grass

Gen Z were onto something when they came up with this now-viral phrase. During your break from work, get yourself outdoors and reconnect with nature to ground your senses and stress levels. 

#3. Set yourself up BEFORE going on break

While it may be tempting to open up your emails on holiday and start organising your unread tasks, your future self will thank you more if you instead utilise your time off for some much-needed R&R. If you want to avoid being swamped with emails and to-dos on your first day back in the office, aim to get on top of everything in the days leading up to your time off.

Originally published as Attention workaholics: Switching off this week is crucial for your health