Chamber News & Views March 22, 2018
By LYNNE CONLAN
Executive director, Sun City Center Area Chamber of Commerce
Vacations matter. Not because you’ll bring home a ton of pictures that nobody but you really cares to see and not because your Facebook friends will be jealous.
Turns out, vacations aren’t a luxury; they’re a necessity for a healthy life. Some say they’re just as important as eating well and getting exercise.
Vacations are credited with helping reduce stress, which is one of the major contributors to both heart disease and high blood pressure. And where do you get a lot of that stress? Work, of course.
Studies show that men and women who vacationed regularly were less likely to die from a heart attack. The American Psychological Association concluded that vacations worked in reducing stress since they remove you from the activities and environments we associate with stress and anxiety.
Research has shown vacations actually add to our productivity up to five weeks after we return home with those pictures no one wants to see. Ernst & Young, a professional services firm, conducted a study of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation time employees took, their year-end performance reviews improved 8 percent. What’s more, frequent vacationers were much less likely to leave the firm.
Research done by the Boston Consulting Group found that high-level professionals who were required to take time off were more productive overall.
You might be wondering why the chamber is so concerned about your vacation plans. It’s because we have a way to help you get back your productivity and lower your blood pressure.
How? Take a look in the chamber membership directory, either in print or online. Under “T,” there’s a great category called “Travel, Tourism and Recreation.”
We have some members who would be happy to help you plan your next vacation: AAA — The Auto Club Group; Cruise Planners – Gayle Fortin; Glennaonthego.com; K&E Travel; and Sun City Center Travelworld. They’re all willing to sit down and match you up with that perfect getaway from your stressful life.
But you’re too busy, right? Got too much on your plate? Just get over it, and start planning. Let our chamber members help make your heart healthy and happy.
I promise I’ll take a look at those pictures when you get home.