1. Vacation is relaxing. We often take vacations in order to relax, but do they actually work? Looking at the impact of a resort vacation and a meditation retreat on biological measures of stress and immune function, a resort vacation not only makes us feel more energetic and less stressed than we were before we took the vacation, it also leads to a strong and immediate impact on molecular networks associated with stress and immune function. People who attended the meditation retreat also showed a boost in antiviral activity.

So pick your favorite leisure activity: surfing in the sun and hanging under the cabana, or sitting on a zafu and taking yoga.

2. Breaks make you more productive. Another personal and professional advantage of taking vacations is the ability to detach from work. The inability to detach from work comes with symptoms of burnout, which of course impact well-being and productivity. However, disengaging from work when you are not at work makes us more resilient in the face of stress and more productive and engaged at work. Even a short weekend getaway can provide significant work-stress recovery, while longer trips away provide even more relief.

After a vacation, 64 percent of people say that they are refreshed and excited to get back to their job. 

3. A change of pace boosts creativity. Another professional advantage from taking time off is a boost in creativity. We are facing a dramatic “creativity crisis,” with creativity scores dropping significantly in younger generations. Here again, more vacations and leisure may help.

Many workers tend to specialize in their own field, and fail to explore new areas or diversify their interests. Yet research shows that being exposed to new and different experiences actually boosts your creativity. For example, hiking in nature disconnected from all devices for four days—a very unusual experience in our day and age—led to a 50 percent spike in creativity.

Doing nothing, being idle, daydreaming, and relaxing create alpha waves in the brain that are key to creative insights and innovative breakthroughs. Besides, positive emotions—the kind we feel on a relaxing, playful vacation—make us more inventive and able to think outside the box.

How to make the most of your vacation

When planning your time off, keep in mind that all leisure activities are not created equal.

While spending time with friends, doing sports, and vacationing boost your well-being substantially, other leisure activities including Internet browsing and TV watching do not; in fact, they lead to lower satisfaction with life. That means that your couch isn’t necessarily the best vacation destination.

Later in life, social activities seem to be particularly important. This makes sense since the degree to which we are socially connected across our lifespan significantly improves our physical and psychological health, and even our longevity.

When should you schedule your time away from work?

Some of us are so good at delayed gratification that we’re constantly putting off our vacations, thinking we’ll enjoy our “well-deserved” leisure more later—after we write that report, finish that big project, or get a promotion. But this is not necessarily true: Fun times are fun times no matter what, and we enjoy them just as much whether they come before or after hard work. Also, the professional and personal benefits that we get from leisure time may help us succeed at our work goals.

So plan your vacation now. Better yet, don’t get caught up in too much planning.

Spontaneous leisure activities are more rewarding than planned ones.

So let your hair down, play hooky, and let loose once in a while.

There’s still some summer left, so enjoy!