How To Let Go Of ‘Vacation Sabotage' And Get The Most From Your Time Off

Do you struggle to disconnect from work while on holiday? Learn how to let go of ‘vacation sabotage’ and get the most from your time off

Picture this: you’re lying beside the pool, a cocktail within arm’s reach and a gentle breeze washes over you. Bliss. It’s so tranquil, and you’ve waited so long for this trip…

And yet, you can’t help thinking about work. How did that difficult client respond to the email you fired off before you left? What’s happening with that project you’re in charge of? Within seconds you’ve picked up your phone and logged into your emails, your holiday vibe melting away faster than ice cubes in your cocktail.

Welcome to the vacation sabotage, a situation where those who are constantly working during and after work hours, find it challenging to stop and fully enjoy leisure time. You may be on holiday, but mentally, you’re still at work – which is anything but the purpose of a holiday.

“We can find it hard to switch pace if our lives are generally busy and require a certain level of constant frenetic energy and cognitive overload,” explains Sydney-based psychologist Jocelyn Brewer. “It might take some people a few days to disconnect from their mental habits.

“I think to relax on holidays also involves the worry about what’s happening while they’re away, what things might go wrong or whether the person replacing them – if there is one – is managing well,” she says.