How long of a vacation is healthy?

Take at Least 1 Week Off to Reap the Most Benefits
According to study co-author Ty Ferguson, PhD, a research associate at the University of South Australia, a week or two of vacation time “is long enough for a person to 'settle in' to the change in a new routine in how they spend their time.”



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How Long Is Too Long For A Vacation? Just over a week is the optimal duration for a vacation as the benefits associated with vacationing start tapering off after the eight-day. After two weeks, not only does the vacation become less enjoyable, and stress can accumulate.

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According to research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, the ideal length of a vacation is exactly eight days.

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You can use all your vacation time at once, but you need to think about how long the rest of the year might feel once finished with your vacation break. Several days in a row indeed increase your chances to completely relax. If you are eligible for two weeks, it is best not to take them all at once.

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When you take time away from the stresses of work and daily life, it can improve our physical and mental health, motivation, relationships, job performance and perspective. A vacation can help you feel refreshed and more prepared to handle whatever comes when you return.

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You're catching up with sleep So heading on holiday and being allowed to sleep as much as you like can be a revelation. Letting your body relax and catch up on that much-needed sleep can leave you feeling more sleepy because you're realising what you're missing in your everyday life in terms of sleep.

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Employers often describe paid vacation as a specific number of days or weeks. If your employer gives you three weeks of paid vacation, remember that this is usually work weeks and not calendar weeks. Three weeks of paid vacation time translates to 15 paid vacation days, not 21.

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Taking a two week vacation forces you to offload some of your workload and remove your mind from work for a true “break”. Giving yourself enough time to truly get away lets you slow down and let your mind move past all the work chatter in your head.

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However, Americans tend to take fewer vacation days overall, compared to other countries. In 2018, the average American took 9 out of their 17.4 paid days off for travel, as reported by the US Travel Association.

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