# Holiday benefits last longer than you think

- **Episode:** [182](https://agents.truthliesandwork.com/episodes/182.md) (2025-03-25)
- **Type:** news-roundup
- **Tags:** holiday, benefits, hr
- **Time:** 14:38–17:20 (start 878s)
- **Listen:** [https://truthliesandwork.com/182?t=878](https://truthliesandwork.com/182?t=878)

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[14:38] Leanne Elliott: Yeah
[14:38] Al Elliott: Don't say. We can't say. You'll know who they are. Anyway, Leanne, what else have you seen this week, love?
[14:43] Leanne Elliott: Something brighter, something sunnier, Al
[14:46] Al Elliott: Yep
[14:46] Leanne Elliott: Some good news for you and for anyone daydreaming about their next holiday break. I know I am. Holiday benefits last longer than we thought, according to science
[14:56] Al Elliott: Science says it officially. We need, we need a, like, one of those stamps that goes, science approved
[15:01] Leanne Elliott: Science approved. Yeah, holidays, they don't just feel really good in the moment. Apparently the benefits stick around for a lot longer than we used to think. So this is another piece of research that's been reported on by the BPS this month in the Research Digest. Um, they're on fire right now
[15:17] Al Elliott: The BPS?
[15:19] Leanne Elliott: Um, the Research Digest team
[15:20] Al Elliott: Oh nice
[15:21] Leanne Elliott: Yeah
[15:21] Al Elliott: Um, big shout out to you guys
[15:23] Leanne Elliott: Big shout out, keep it coming. So they reported on this new research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, looked at data from 32 studies tracking people's well-being before, during, and after taking time off. And the biggest takeaway, while we do eventually slide back into our usual levels of stress and fatigue, that post-holiday glow can last up to 6 weeks, which is much longer than previous research has suggested. So the study measured everything from stress and burnout to sleep quality, energy levels, general happiness. And yeah, well-being did dip once people returned to work. Of course you get that little slump, but it stayed higher than it was before the holiday, even 3 weeks after they were back. Uh, the type of break mattered too. So people who mix time away with time at home saw the biggest benefit overall. But interestingly, those who traveled experienced a lower decline in wellbeing afterwards. So the aftereffects lasted longer, even if the peak wasn't as sharp. Longer holidays gave a bigger boost during the break, but that came with a catch— a steeper drop once people returned to work. So it's like the higher you go, the further you have to fall. What made the big difference, though, was how people spent their time off. The best outcomes came from people who completely detached from work. Did we hear this, Al? Mentally checking out, uh, made a huge difference. So delete that app from your phone, don't look at working emails, and if you're a manager, don't even think about messaging that person
[16:54] Al Elliott: Yes
[16:54] Grace Tallon: No
[16:55] Al Elliott: You've been told
[16:56] Leanne Elliott: No. Um, what else did they find? Um, physical activity was a major winner as well, followed by social time. So skiing holidays with friends are going to be beautiful for our well-being. On the other hand, more passive activities like just Lounging around didn't really have a significant effect either way. Learning new skills on holiday, maybe practising your Spanish, that turns out it didn't have an impact either
[17:20] Grace Tallon: No
[17:20] Leanne Elliott: So for employees, what is clear is that we need to encourage people to take proper time off, making sure that they don't feel guilty for doing it, that it isn't just a nice thing to have, it's actually a really smart idea. It's good for your your people is good for your business. It leads to happier, healthier staff who are likely to perform better when they get back. And for employees listening, if you want to actually feel the benefit of your time off, the key is to properly unplug and get moving. Please delete that Gmail. It always surprised me when I work with, um, business owners who are concerned about well-being and burnout and energy levels dipping, and then we'll look and only about 70% of the staff have taken all their annual leave over the past 2 years. It's like, well, Might help. And now science says it really does