The life of a typical high school student is stressful and busy. Many students have band practice, athletics, clubs, or other responsibilities to take care of after school. Being occupied with various responsibilities and learning to manage them is a very valuable thing for young people to learn early on, but sometimes we need time for leisure.

We understand that by keeping us in school for longer periods of time they are only trying to benefit our education, but there are countless studies that display the positive effects of vacations.

We don’t always realize it, but routines can lead us astray from our main goals in life. In order to focus on the real goals of life, you need to take some time to re-evaluate by breaking the routine.

Let’s get this straight, there is a difference between a vacation and simply wasting time. Vacation lets you unwind and slow down in order to organize your life. During a vacation, you aren’t abandoning your responsibilities, you are letting go of some of the stress in your life. You are able to see your problems more clearly by getting a break from your usual routine.

Vacations are vital to your mental health and even your physical health. By having fewer things to stress about, you have more time to sleep, giving you more energy and letting you make more practical decisions.

Another benefit of sleep is that it helps you balance your emotions and hormones, making you a more agreeable and happier person.

Although it may seem strange, studies show that more vacation time for workers actually increases productivity and has been found to decrease the number of sick days taken off. Workers also report of feeling more satisfied with their jobs when they take regular vacations.

I would challenge those who are reading this to take occasional breaks or “vacations.” You don’t have to go on a cruise, but you should take time to slow down your work once in awhile so that your brain can rest.

Go spend time with your friends and family, meditate alone in the park, or even catch up on sleep. A good vacation can refill your motivation and make you ready to take on the world again.