By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Why Its Important for Health Professionals to Take Vacations
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Wellness > Why Its Important for Health Professionals to Take Vacations
Wellness

Why Its Important for Health Professionals to Take Vacations

Paisleyhansen
Paisleyhansen
Share
6 Min Read
healthcare workers vacation
Shutterstock Photo License - By stockcreations
SHARE

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more dedicated to their career than a doctor or a nurse. Health professionals give their very best every day and love what they do. Unfortunately, they’re stretched way too thin with long shifts, crazy hours and no one to relieve them.

Contents
  • Reduces Work-Related Stress
  • Provides a Lesson in Culture
  • Promotes Valuable Family Time
  • Increases Heart Health
  • Improves Work Performance
  • Allows For Relaxing Fun
  • Lets Them Follow Their Own Advice

People working in the healthcare field are so committed that they’re often reluctant to take vacation time. This is both unfair to them and their patients. Here are several reasons it’s so important for health professionals to take time off.

Reduces Work-Related Stress

Doctors and nurses are some of the most stressed people out there and it’s no surprise. This is especially true during the pandemic. Around 76% of healthcare workers are experiencing exhaustion and 93% have some stress.

Sure it’s the nature of the job, but health professionals have been charged with taking care of other people’s wellbeing and mistakes aren’t allowed. The expectations placed on medical workers, coupled with the responsibility of those running a practice, eventually takes a toll. A vacation provides much-needed relief. The relaxation experienced during time away often lingers after a person returns to work, benefiting everyone around them.

More Read

What Are the Hidden Dangers of Varicose Veins?
Your First Deep Tissue Massage Appointment and What to Expect
Poor Adherence Generates Higher Health Care Costs and Worse Health Outcomes
5 Treatment Options For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Health Accountability Coach: Your Partner for Lasting Wellness

Provides a Lesson in Culture

People in the medical field work with all types of patients from different backgrounds. Taking a trip to an international destination, or even to a different area of the United States, gives them a crash course on culture. Whether they decide on a journey to a foreign land, or a spectacular Hawaii cruise, they’ll find themselves immersed in distinctive cultures. This promotes an understanding of why people do things a certain way and, at the same time, demonstrates how similar humans are.

Promotes Valuable Family Time

Doctors and nurses sacrifice a lot for their careers and that often means less time spent with loved ones. Taking a scheduled vacation is the perfect time to work on those relationships especially if you stay at home. When long schedules take a person away from a spouse or children, every minute spent with them counts. As important as a career is, it should never take priority over family time. A vacation gives a health professional unrestricted quality time to strengthen family bonds and boosts a child’s self-confidence and feelings of being loved.

Increases Heart Health

If there’s one thing that doctors and nurses have a lot of, it’s heart. However, that heart needs to be taken care of. Research says that people that take time off have a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a group of conditions that can lead to heart disease. These precursors include high blood pressure, body fat around the waist and elevated cholesterol. They appear to be less common in people that vacation at least once per year. Decreased risk of heart disease is a valuable reason to schedule time off!

Improves Work Performance

Taking a vacation helps people feel rested and refreshed, but what does that have to do with a physician’s abilities? People aren’t made to go long periods without respite. When they start feeling exhausted, decision-making abilities become impaired. This is precarious not only for those in direct care positions, but also for doctors that own practices and make business decisions. While you’ll come back from vacation more productive and energized, you might actually come up with some of your best business ideas while away.

Allows For Relaxing Fun

There are times when a vacation is taken for no other reason than to cut loose and have fun, and that’s one of the best reasons of all! People in the medical profession work so hard they often don’t know when to stop, so forcing themselves to have fun provides much-needed release. Fun means different things for different people, so whether that means a cruise, a day at an amusement park or spending a week reading, that time off is well-worth it.

Lets Them Follow Their Own Advice

Time away from the job is important for anyone, but for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals it’s even more critical. Vacations help reduce the stress that’s prevalent in health-related professions, plus time off provides an opportunity to have some real fun while also improving family relationships. When the vacation is finally over, doctors and nurses can continue to serve their patients even better because they followed their own excellent advice on how to relax and enjoy themselves.

TAGGED:burnoutburnout in nursinghealthcare workersphysician burnoutvacation health benefits
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Paisleyhansen
Follow:
Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in health, fitness, beauty, and fashion. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book or hitting the gym.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

dementia prevention
GeriatricsHome HealthWellness

5 Simple Behaviors That May Ward Off Dementia

September 28, 2013
Public HealthWellness

How to Prepare for Your First Visit to a Psychologist

February 17, 2013

Myths About Continuing Care Retirement Communities

February 23, 2012

The Best Smart Kitchen Gadgets to Have in 2019

November 5, 2019
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?