The Benefits of Taking Time off

English

Rae and Bruce Hostetler not only work very hard, they also relax just as well. Numerous vacations help the suburban Indianapolis couple to maintain their health and emotional well-being-and it's no surprise to health care professionals.

TIP

雷和布鲁斯·霍斯特勒夫妇不仅工作努力，他们也同样注重放松。频繁的休假帮助这对住在印第安纳波利斯郊区的夫妇保持了健康和情绪上的健康——这对医疗保健专业人士来说并不意外。

English

"Rest, relaxation, and stress reduction are very important for people's well-being and health. This can be accomplished through daily activities, such as exercise and meditation, but vacation is an important part of this as well," said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York. Withers lists a decreased risk of heart disease and improved reaction times as some of the benefits from taking some time off. "We also know that the mind is very powerful and can help with healing, so a rested, relaxed mind is able to help the body heal better," said Withers.

TIP

“休息、放松和减压对人们的幸福和健康至关重要。这可以通过日常活动来实现，例如锻炼和冥想，但假期也是其中的重要组成部分，”纽约One Medical Group的初级保健医生娜塔莎·威瑟斯(Natasha Withers)说道。威瑟斯列举了降低患心脏病的风险和提高反应速度等休假的好处。“我们也知道，心灵的力量非常强大，可以帮助治愈，因此，休息好、放松的心灵能够帮助身体更好地康复，”威瑟斯说道。

English

Psychologists echo the value of vacations for the mind. "The impact that taking a vacation has on one's mental health is profound," said Francine Lederer, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management. "Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out."

TIP

心理学家们也认同假期对精神健康的价值。“度假对心理健康的影响是深远的，”洛杉矶临床心理学家弗朗辛·莱德勒（Francine Lederer）说道，她专攻压力和人际关系管理。“大多数人在度假后都会拥有更清晰的人生观，更有动力去实现目标，即使只是24小时的休息。”

English

The Hostetlers combined short and long breaks in 2010 and 2011 that included a cruise, a ski trip, two beach trips, a weekend in Chicago, and have another cruise trip scheduled this upcoming fall. Counting the weekend days that buffer some trips, they'll have been on vacation for 38 days since October of last year.

TIP

2010 年和 2011 年，Hostetler 夫妇的长短假期各有不同，包括一次邮轮旅行、一次滑雪之旅、两次海滩旅行、一次芝加哥周末之旅，并计划在今年秋天再次乘坐邮轮旅行。 算上一些行程中需要缓冲的周末天数，自去年 10 月以来，他们已经休假 38 天。

English

But they are not the norm among full-time working Americans. The online travel agency Expedia conducted a survey about vacation time in 2010, and according to their data the average American earned 18 vacation days-but only used 14 of them. Every European country included in the survey reported both more vacation days earned and used. France topped the list, with the average worker earning 37 vacation days and using all but two of them. And according to Expedia's data, only 38 percent of Americans said they used all of their vacation time, compared to 63 percent of French respondents. Americans' responses may not be surprising in a culture where long hours on the job often are valued, but that's not always good for the individual, the family or the employer.

TIP

但这并不是全职工作的美国人的常态。在线旅行社 Expedia 在 2010 年进行了一项关于休假时间的调查，根据他们的数据，美国人平均有 18 天的假期，但只使用了其中的 14 天。参与调查的每个欧洲国家都报告说，他们获得的假期天数和使用的假期天数都更多。法国位居榜首，平均每人有 37 天的假期，但除了两天外，其余的都用完了。根据 Expedia 的数据，只有 38% 的美国人表示他们用完了所有的假期，而法国受访者的比例为 63%。在重视长时间工作的文化中，美国人的反应可能并不令人惊讶，但这对于个人、家庭或雇主来说并不总是好事。