You’re finally on holiday—but your mind is still in the office. You’re mentally drafting emails, worrying about your to-do list, or checking notifications. With remote work and round-the-clock access to everything on our phones, the line between work and rest has blurred. The result? Many of us don’t really switch off, and that constant mental load can lead to burnout and poor mental health.
Travel expert Justin Chapman from Go2Africa and psychologist Dr Seeta Shah from Panda London explain why it’s hard to disconnect—and how to actually make your time off feel like a break.
Why It’s So Hard to Switch Off
Modern work culture glorifies being busy and accessible. There’s often an unspoken pressure to be “on” at all times—even when you’re technically on leave. If your boss and colleagues work through their holidays, it’s easy to feel guilty for stepping away.
Plus, the thought of returning to a backlog can feel more stressful than just staying semi-available while you’re away. But this mindset undermines the benefits of rest.
“Disconnection from work can feel unfamiliar, especially if it’s only for a few days,” says Dr Shah. “But it’s a valuable chance to reset habits, including sleep, and to give your mind the space to recover.”
Prepare Before You Travel
Start switching off before your trip. Turn off work-related notifications outside of hours now, so it feels less abrupt when you go on leave. Incorporate relaxing activities like yoga or meditation after work, even for 15 minutes—it helps train your brain to unwind.
Manage Your Devices
More than half of us check work emails while on holiday. With your phone doubling as your map, camera and payment method, it’s hard to switch it off completely. But you can reduce temptation. Remove work apps from your home screen or turn off notifications altogether.
If you absolutely must check in, limit yourself to 30 minutes a day—and only for urgent matters. Dr Shah warns that even a short glance at work emails can trigger anxiety and spike cortisol levels, undoing hours of relaxation.
Schedule Real Downtime
Many of us are so used to rushing through daily life that we overschedule holidays too. But if your itinerary is packed with back-to-back sightseeing, you’ll come home needing another holiday.
Give yourself permission to rest. That might mean reading on the beach, wandering through a local town, or simply enjoying a morning coffee with no plans. “Squeezing in too much keeps your brain in go-mode,” says Dr Shah, “making it harder to sleep and recharge.”
Plan Ahead
Don’t leave everything to the last minute. Finish tasks early, hand over responsibilities, and let key contacts know you’ll be offline. It reduces anxiety and prevents holiday disruptions.
Better yet, get someone else to plan the trip—travel experts can customise your itinerary and handle the logistics, freeing you up to enjoy the moment.
Try Grounding Techniques
Still feeling anxious? Use the 5-4-3-2-1 method to ground yourself: notice five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. It brings your focus back to the present—where your holiday is happening.
