For most of the world’s population, it is summer. Summer is a common time to take a vacation or holiday. It is also a time when some of us look to the future and start planning our next step in life.
If you want to progress in your career or transfer over to a new career, it can be tempting to dive into online education during your summer break. But, before you do, think of the benefits of taking a complete break instead. If it’s a difficult, in-depth course, you might remain as stressed as if you were still at work. You may even find the course more difficult than if you took it during the working year, putting pressure on yourself to study during your recovery time.
You may feel like you are on a constant treadmill of work, self-improvement and family responsibilities. Yes, these are important, but it’s also helpful to give yourself a break from time to time. And I’m not talking about five minutes at the end of a Pomodoro session. Constantly working on one project or another can lead to burnout.
Benefits of Holidays
According to Business Insider, taking holidays can have both health and productivity benefits, including lower stress levels, reduced cardiovascular disease and improved reaction times. Even a short break can help.
Although Daphne Gray Grant writes for writers rather than online learners, she extols the value of taking holidays in Why you shouldn’t feel guilty about your holidays. Many of the points she makes are valid for anyone at risk of burnout.
Taking a holiday, whether at home or travelling to a different location, can help renew enthusiasm.
Taking Courses as a Hobby
On the other hand, if you have been looking forward to getting a few pleasurable courses under your belt because there was no time during your working year, go for it! It might just be the change your brain needs. It partly depends on your frame of mind while doing the course. If you are enjoying it, your stress levels are likely to be low as your brain and body relax.
If you do want to try a lightweight course or two, here are some ideas from Class Central:
or type your own topic of interest into the Class Central search field.
A Final Thought
I am taking my own advice and having a break. I’ll be back in four weeks.
By Pat Bowden, published July 16, 2019.
