Recharge your brain. Take a vacation!

When you love what you do and approach your professional goals with real passion, it might be difficult to draw the line between work and the rest of your life.

The drawback of a super-productive lifestyle is the risk of falling into a creativity dead end or even worse, experiencing burnout. A break away from the office should be more than just sipping piña coladas by the pool; your efficiency, creativity and productivity are at stake. You need to refuel.

Vacationing is a restorative activity. It has positive effects on our physical and mental health. Studies done by the Neuropsychology Area at the University of Pittsburg have documented real benefits. There is evidence that when you stop your routine and expose your brain to new environments, it reacts. This is particularly true if you take the time to immerse into a new culture, travel to a different natural environment, or visit places new to you. Those new and challenging situations literally stimulate your brain into creating new connections; it increases brain capacity.

The good news is that you can also increase brain capacity in other ways, not just by travelling. Let me give you some tips so you may refresh your mind and be ready for the next challenge:

1. Reconnect with life´s pleasures. Our mile-long to-do lists often force us to put certain activities in the backburner. Deliberately take days or even hours for yourself and go listen to a symphony, practice your favorite sport, or learn a new hobby. When you interrupt your daily routine, you are giving yourself the chance to get a refreshed perspective, and new areas are activated in your brain. As soon as we experience new things, observe new places and people, new thinking patterns are created and neurons are revived towards new activity.
2. Stress- related vacation is good. Yes, all that planning and preparation is stressful, but the good news is that even stresscan be healthy for your brain. You become more attentive and engaged. Investing in new experiences is like opening a “good memories” savings account. These imageries and remembrances will be a valuable resource to go back to when you are feeling overwhelmed or sad. These fresh insights will help you appreciate your whole life from a detached perspective. You’ll be able to return to daily activities with renewed enthusiasm.
3. Boost your problem-solving skills. If you are hesitant on whether you should take a break when there are so many pending issues, think twice. It has probably happened to you that after hours of trying to find a solution to a problem, you talk to someone about it, and click, suddenly ideas start flowing. Travelling has the same effect, it untangles your usual thought patterns, gives you creative perspectives and boosts your problem-solving skills.

4. Unplug and be mindful. There is no need to take a long vacation in order to reap its benefits. Choose the type of activities that can engage your mind and soul. If you like a challenge, take up an extreme experience. If you prefer to reconnect with nature, do just that. Most importantly, be there, find your center, let go of distractors for that period of time. Rejuvenating your spirit and stimulating your mind will pay off.

   Mindfulness is about appreciating each moment and connecting with your inner self. Think of your next vacation or time off as a trip within. Pause and focus on your breath, on the feeling of wind on your face, on the colors of the sunset and the taste of exotic fruit. Experiment having no plans or checklists, leave room for stumbling into the unexpected beauty that wasn’t listed in the tourist guide.

   Are you ready to pack your hiking shoes? Let´s take some time to nurture our body and mind.