Vacation is not an option.
If you want to be successful, you should take your brain and get out of town. Here’s why . . .
1. Perspective
Detaching yourself from everyday routines can help you get a new perspective on life, says Adam Galinsky, professor at the Kellog School of Management. ”Not just taking time off from work, but actually getting away from where you live is really important because that’s the only way you can achieve perspective.”
Ever notice that a friend’s advice or suggestions are more insightful than your own? Not surprising since scientific studies have confirmed that psychological distance enables clearer thinking. When you’re in the middle of a problem, it’s hard to untangle your views from the emotional details.
2. Creativity
In fact, many people find they get epiphanies when they leave the country and are experiencing a foreign environment. Galinsky’s research with William Maddux shows that immersing yourself in a different culture often increases creativity. Being in unfamiliar places, experiencing other social norms and customers, reinforces the concept that there is more than one way of doing things and accomplishing results.
In order to get the true benefits of the international experience, it is important to try to understand the world through the locals perspective.
Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University, has found great benefits simply by being mindful. “Boring,” she says, is a state of mind. The goal is to achieve the mindset of “everything is interesting,” then you will find many valuable ideas to take home.
3. Longevity
Yes, vacations help you live longer. A study of middle-aged men showed that those who took annual vacations had a significantly lower mortality rate than their non-vacationing counterparts. Not only will you live longer, but you’ll be more productive and happier, according to a Japanese study. In this case, workers who took vacations were less likely to be depressed and miss work.
