1. Work is actually good for you

Research conducted by the Government's Department for Work and Pensions shows that people who work past retirement age are generally healthier than those who give up the nine-to-five. A study found that almost three-quarters of working women aged 55 to 75 described their health as good, compared with less than half of those who had retired. And it revealed that employed men of the same age were actually healthier than those who had wrapped up work. So think about your wellbeing and embrace that commute!

Try and take time to think about the bits of your job you love and the bits you’d like to change, then when you get back from holiday, act. Use the opportunity of returning to work after time off to speak to your boss.

2. A fresh perspective enables positive change

It’s hard to think objectively about life and work choices when you’re in the throes of deadlines, rushing from one meeting to the next or getting an earful from a difficult customer. So when you’re on your break, try and take time to think about the bits of your job you love and the bits you’d like to change, then when you get back, act. Speak to your boss about getting more of the good stuff and how to make the tough bits better. And if you’re not happy where you are, perhaps it’s time to start job hunting.

3. Adrenaline makes us feel great

Working under pressure can actually give us a natural high. In stressful situations – meeting deadlines, presenting to a full room, or waiting on demanding diners – our brain releases chemicals that prepare our body to cope effectively. The hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline increase our heart rate, bringing more oxygen to our lungs, in turn releasing a surge of energy and helping us to make instant decisions. Once adrenaline is triggered, other feel-good chemicals called serotonin and endorphins flood our system – our body's way of rewarding itself for completing a job. Let’s face it, you’re not going to get the same rush just lying on a lounger, and a tight deadline is cheaper than signing the whole family up for a bungee jump.