How to Squeeze the Most Out of Your Vacation

We all understand the importance of recovery—at least when it comes to fitness.

Train hard, recover well, adapt. Simple enough.

But lifting weights for an hour a day isn’t the only thing that drains us. Most people spend multiple hours every day making decisions, managing emotions, solving problems, and staying “on” for other people. Emails before breakfast. Messages at night. Work bleeding into weekends. Even when you’re not working, your brain often is.

That constant availability quietly taxes your psychological resources.

That’s where vacations should come in.

In theory, a vacation gives you distance from work, restores energy, and helps you return sharper, calmer, and more focused. But anyone who’s ever unpacked on a Sunday night knows the uneasy question that follows:

Does this actually last… or does it fade the minute I open my inbox?

A large review published in early 2025 offers some refreshingly honest answers.

What the Science Looked At

Researchers from the University of Georgia and Auburn University analyzed 32 studies across 9 countries, examining how vacations affect well-being:

• Before vacation

• During vacation

• Immediately after returning to work

• Several weeks later

  
  

They also looked at what changes the effect:

• Staying home vs. traveling

• Vacation length

• Cultural pressure around work

• What people actually do on vacation

What They Found (The Big Picture)

People feel much better on vacation than before it.That part isn’t shocking.

But here’s what is interesting:

• Well-being drops after returning to work—but not all the way back down

• Even three weeks later, people still felt better than before they left

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In research terms:

• Vacation boost: large

• Post-vacation crash: medium

• Net benefit after returning: still positive

• Fade-out over time: small

  
  

In other words:

Vacations do work — just not forever.

What Actually Changes the Impact

Staying home vs. traveling

People who stayed home felt a bigger immediate boost.People who traveled had a smaller crash and held onto benefits longer.

Longer vacations

Longer trips felt better while away — but the crash afterward was steeper, and benefits faded faster.

Work-obsessed cultures

People from high-pressure work cultures got a bigger mental lift… and lost it sooner.

What you do matters — but only temporarily

• Physical activities (hiking, skiing, exploring) felt best during vacation

• Social time ranked second

• Passive relaxation didn’t move the needle much

  
  

But here’s the twist:

None of these created lasting benefits once work resumed.

The Real Takeaway

There is no “perfect” vacation formula.

The biggest driver of recovery wasn’t the beach, the flight, or the itinerary.

It was removing the cognitive load of work.

Once that load lifts, your nervous system starts to reset. What you layer on top—rest, movement, social time—is personal preference, not a magic lever.

Vacations are rarely stress-free. Flights get canceled. Kids melt down. Plans change.

That doesn’t mean they failed.

If the stress you experience is different from your usual work stress, your brain still gets what it needs.

Closing Thoughts

After fifteen years of coaching, I’ve learned that recovery isn’t about escape — it’s about contrast.

I’ve watched clients return from elaborate trips feeling depleted, and others come back from a quiet stay-at-home break feeling grounded and clear. The difference was never the destination. It was whether they truly stepped away from the mental demands that drain them every day.

Movement, novelty, and connection all help — but only after you stop pouring energy into work. The nervous system doesn’t need luxury. It needs relief.

That’s the quiet power of a vacation done well.

Your health is your wealth —Michael Beiter

Personal Trainer

Nutrition, Sleep, Stress management, and Recovery coach References

1. Grant, Ryan S., Beth E. Buchanan, and Kristen M. Shockley. 2025. "I Need a Vacation: A Meta-Analysis of Vacation and Employee Well-Being." The Journal of Applied Psychology 110 (7): 887–905.