Every year I look forward to the Easter break. It’s 4 days away from work but there is always a decision to be made. Do I fill my time keeping active, seeing friends and family and making use of my days off? Or should I just relax, chill and have a duvet day – or 4!

Well this time I went for the friends and family option. Spending Friday night catching up with mates from school before visiting various family members for the exchanging of eggs, Easter lunch and going out for a walk. In one way it was relaxing but by the end of the weekend I felt like I needed another weekend to recover – maybe I should have gone for the duvet option.

This got me thinking about previous holidays. When I look back it usually takes about 3 or 4 days to just stop and feel that I’m actually on holiday. It’s at this point that I’ll stop checking the emails every 30 seconds, put the phone down and even (dare I say it) switch it off! In fact, I even remember once having a pre-break before going away and it was amazing! It meant when I went on the proper holiday I was already relaxed and could enjoy every moment. That turned out to be the happiest time I have had for as long as I could remember.

Research shows that taking time out can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mental and physical wellbeing, and even significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

So, with two more bank holidays coming up in May, don’t feel guilty if you want to turn one of them into a me-time weekend. Whatever you fancy, follow your heart, follow the fun and follow your joy.