You Took Time Off. Why Do You Still Feel Tired?

In this post, I assume that you are a corporate 9-5er or a business person (or both) who has worked really hard during the year and is set to proceed on a well-deserved break from work.

You have completed the important tasks needed to do before you leave and have prepared a good handover note and handed over or delegated your work to your relief. You have a checklist of the things you need to do before leaving your quirky out-of-office message, and have checked them off accordingly. You are excited to pack your bags and leave for the airport or the road trip and just disconnect from work. Or you cannot wait to just kick it at home and enjoy your own company. You are hoping that this time off will help melt the exhaustion you feel. 

However, the problem isn't the amount of leave you're taking. It's that most of us confuse time away from work with genuine rest. Here's how to make your next PTO actually restore your energy, focus, and well-being. 

P.S. I did present an argument below for having days where you do absolutely nothing, mixed with active resting and intentional thinking.

Also, just resting your body may not be enough if your nervous system is overwhelmed. Get our step-by-step guide on how to intentionally restore your energy and rebuild healthy boundaries.

It is okay to do nothing all day

In a Guardian interview with Odell on her book “How to do nothing”, she states the importance of redirecting our attention from the ongoing narrative of the need to always be productive and efficient and on-trend, and the value of being with our own thoughts. She insists that there are a lot of things around us that can help us practice how to shift our attention from work.

So yes, for the first few days, you can sleep and eat and lounge and sit on your porch and drink tea and bird-watch, and just notice things all day depending on how you feel and what rocks your boat. This is not only because you have worked hard all year and you deserve the rest, but also because you are human and not a robot. 

You can (and should) choose to be present and aware of the fact that you are doing nothing ‘productive’ without feeling guilty. In fact, I would take it a step further and ask you to congratulate yourself after a successful day of doing nothing and prioritizing yourself and your thoughts and emotions.

Lean into more physical hobbies

Now, while I am for you participating in absolutely nothing all day, you definitely do not want to let your brain rot away. As Proverbs says, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop- which essentially means that when you have nothing to do, especially for an extended period of time, your mind becomes a breeding ground for negative thoughts, bad habits, and destructive behavior.

And this is where active rest comes to play.

The British Psychological Society reviewed a study published recently in the Journal of Applied Psychology which showed that holidays that combined time at home with time away had a greater positive impact on wellbeing than fully away-from-home trips, and so what people did during their break and how they rested made a significant difference. 

Photo of Malta on Living North 

If you are traveling on vacation, this may look like booking the cycling/walking tours instead of bus tours, or touring historical sites that require climbing some stairs for rewarding panoramic views. 

If you are home, you can learn a new movement skill or start a DIY project or dance to your favorite music. The point is to completely feel relaxed, and not stressed when doing all of these activities. So, monitor your energy levels and take lots of breaks..

Prioritize your Rest Days if Traveling on Vacation

This should go without saying, but you will be surprised at the number of people that have all of their vacation days packed with activities back-to-back. Because at the end of the day, snorkeling with dolphins, and hiking up that mountain, and touring that picturesque village is still work (albeit enjoyable work) if there is no rest in-between. 

And no, the memories will not magically light up some new spark of energy in you when you resume work.

The same study mentioned above also stated that while people who travelled on holidays had a bigger boost to wellbeing, they also experienced a sharper decline in wellbeing once they returned and saw their wellbeing fade more quickly. This happens for a few reasons including inadequate time to relax, and not fully disconnecting from work.

So, my advice is to plan your itinerary around your initial and subsequent energy levels with alternative days for rest as needed. 

Simple itinerary guide for my sister’s birthday in Ghana

If you have a small number of days to use to explore the country or city, first note that it is not possible to explore all of it. But you can pack your days filled with activities, and then make sure to have a couple of days to rest and recharge when you get back home before your resumption.

Think about stuff and journal

I received this advice from my mentor months ago on having a dedicated thinking time. This will look different for everyone but the general idea is to assume a reflective stance. Sometimes for me, this could look like a reflection of a past or current situation and the impact that I am experiencing.

This is a good way to put things in perspective, without pressure, whether you are happily unproductive at home or having the time of your life exploring night markets. 

I have never been really good at journaling my thoughts especially in story telling format, so what I do instead is to write bullet points of how I am feeling if I need to document this. This article I read provides good arguments for the need to journal and actually enjoy the process. The point is to be intentional about prioritizing your rest, enjoying your company and protecting your peace. And this is absolutely something you can achieve.

In conclusion, while it is great to focus on you and your mental health while on leave, it is also important to ease into the work when you do resume. You do not want to burn out on your first week of resumption, so work on those many tasks gradually till you get your rhythm back.