Quick Trips: The 10 Benefits of Taking a Short Break

What is a Short Break?

Now, if you can’t work out what a short break is, then you need one. A short break is essentially a ‘mini holiday’ where you take a quick trip over a weekend (or maybe a long weekend if you’re lucky) or a couple of days off for a trip during the week. Short breaks are essential for reducing stress and improving your overall mental health. The brief disconnect and the break from your everyday routine can help you relax your mind and reset your body when you return.

Where Should You Go on a Short Break?

The easiest way to maximise your trip is if you choose a destination that is only a short flight or car ride away. Many of us can agree that we haven’t spent enough time exploring our own backyard, and Australia is the perfect place to look for quick holiday ideas and locations. Plus, you get to relax at a beautiful Australian hotel – more time to unwind rather than taking a long flight.

Why Should You Take a Short Break?

1. See More Places
   Going on shorter vacations, like a weekend away, lets you visit more places! Although taking a trip for a week or two in one location allows you to explore your destination for longer, taking short breaks allows you to visit more places throughout the year and maximise your time in each location effectively. Taking one small trip every month allows you to visit 12 unique locations throughout the year!
2. Budget Friendly
   The fewer days you travel, the less money you need to spend! Compared to a week-long holiday, short getaways will save you a lot of money on accommodation and meals. Short vacations also mean you won’t go as far, which lowers the cost of flights. Better still, car pooling with your besties or loved ones saves you the cost of multiple airline tickets!
3. Babysitting & Pet Sitting is Easier for Short Amounts of Time
   Even though it may be challenging to find a sitter ready to watch for your pet for several weeks, there are many more options available when it’s just for a weekend, even at the last minute. Plus, who doesn’t need time away from the kids? We love them dearly, but sometimes you need a little ‘me time’ or a romantic getaway. Finding a babysitter or relative to take care of your kids while taking a trip is possible when it’s just a short weekend or a couple of days away! It may be time to give the grandparents a call.
4. Go Whenever You Want
   Working around annual leave and social/family obligations can make planning a long vacation extremely difficult. However, short breaks eliminate the need for this, allowing you to pack your bags and travel when you wish to cross a place off your bucket list.
5. Time to Switch Off
   Sometimes it can be hard and even slightly daunting to completely disconnect – especially regarding work. Since the stress of leaving the office isn’t as long on a short break, people who find it difficult to unplug from the office typically gain more. Since you know it won’t be for very long, you’re also more inclined to give in and turn off your phone.
6. Come Back Feeling Refreshed
   When given space and separation from the stresses of everyday life and your normal environment, it helps you feel refreshed when you return. The more frequently you take short trips, especially to new places where you encounter new sights, sounds, and sensations, the more your mind is stretched and therefore refreshed.
7. Frequent Holidays Make You More Productive
   Short mental breaks, such as getting up from your desk to eat lunch or working out after work, help boost concentration and productivity. Taking a holiday is no different. Allowing yourself some distance and giving your mind a break gives you back some mental clarity. When you return to work, you’ll find yourself able to think clearer, have better decision making and overall just be more productive.
8. Carry-On Luggage Only
   Nobody enjoys wasting valuable vacation time waiting for their luggage at the arrivals area or playing Tetris with all the bags in the car’s boot. Short trips usually allow you to pack what you need in a carry-on suitcase or a simple duffle bag, allowing you to start your vacation as soon as possible.
9. The Anticipation of Planning
   We know that not smiling is practically impossible while on vacation, but did you realise that simply thinking about a trip can cause your mood to increase significantly? Just thinking about going on vacation significantly impacts one’s mood. Up to eight weeks before the trip, you may begin to experience the symptoms. Not to mention the joy that lasts both before and after the journey.
10. Busy Holidays Feel Longer Than They Actually Are
    When we spend three or four days in a new place, we are more likely to fill the time with activities and adventures, making the trip seem longer. However, when we stay somewhere for a week or more, we tend to take things more leisurely, which causes the days to blur together. This can make the holiday seem much shorter than when we return to work. This explains why we return from a weekend trip feeling much more revived and energised than we do from a leisurely week-long vacation on a tropical beach.

Conclusion

Now you’ve realised the benefits of taking mini holidays and learning to unplug yourself to improve your mental health. So it’s time to plan your next short break in Australia!