Taking time off for the holidays can make you happier and smarter.

There's tons of science behind this, but everyone's so busy with the holidays we'll get right to the point. 

When you take a real break (not checking your phone every 3 minutes):

  1. Blood flow increases to the parts of your brain responsible for memory, integrating new information and problem solving. (This is why new parents who never get a break can't remember anything.)
  2. Dopamine, the neurotransmitter of pleasure, in combination with a distraction leads to higher creativity. According to Harvard research, when you feel happy and stop fixating on a problem, it opens your brain to invent new solutions. 

As explained by Tim Kreider in The New York Times, "Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body."

So set up your auto-response email message and enjoy a REAL BREAK (for the good of your work-- of course).

UP wishes you a joyous, guilt-free holiday with your friends and family! 

All the best for 2016!