Stress, in all its forms, is a killer – literally. The statistics regarding diabetes, obesity, heart attack and stroke confirm this point. A simple survey of a typical workplace – amidst countless cubicles, ringing phones, the pressure of imminent deadlines and the speed of foot traffic, of managers and bosses issuing directives and ultimatums – a day in the life of an employee is a metaphor for the current health of the nation as a whole: Consumed by anxiety and overwhelmed by uncertainty, the country faces generational conflicts, political disputes, infighting and the dreaded condition of malaise.
The remedy to this situation, which may seem counterintuitive, is to invest in the one thing every persons needs and every family craves: A vacation. More precisely, a vacation where the physical environment itself – the lush tropical greenery and the protected wildlife of a natural preserve adjoin a series of secluded villas with oceanfront views of the Pacific – that destination is more powerful (and has no side effects) than any pharmaceutical prescription or medication.
In other words, individual wellness is the foundation of corporate wellness, which is the basis of a productive and happy workforce. The best way to create and maintain this positive morale – a fact companies throughout Europe already know, and have known for decades – involves treating a vacation as the energy necessary for running a successful office, where the serenity of nature acts as a proverbial reset button: A reordering of priorities, by rewiring our attention away from otherwise irrelevant distractions and intense doses of daily stress.
For the worker who returns from a vacation – particularly, a luxury vacation (more about anon) – is healthier, more attentive and relaxed than someone who endures (and suffers from) the grind of nonstop commitments, meetings, and an overflow of memos and lengthy missives.
Indeed, I write this statement based on my own personal experience, including my role as Founder and CEO of Bellazo Luxury Destination Club (www.bellazodestinationclub.com), an innovative resource that allows members to visit the world’s most exotic locales while staying in the world’s most distinctive – and environmentally friendly – private residences.
It is this union between exploring the breathtaking beauty of Costa Rica or the Seychelles (a 155-island country in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean) and the comforts of home that are an antidote to stress and an answer for individual wellness.
This point bears repeating because even luxury travel, despite the cost of a famed five-star resort and the attendant flourishes of an ornate lobby with all manner of marble, brass, gold leaf and lapis lazuli, in lieu of all the obsequious gestures by staff and the opening of oversized doors, as if each guest is about to enter a world of wonder – the truth is, this experience can be very stressful.
In response to those who want to know why, “Why is a conventional luxury vacation another form of stress, and not a respite from this problem?” the answer is simple: A hotel is not a home; it can be a resort or a multistory building – it can be a marvel of architectural design and a beacon of elegance – but, in the end, it is still just a group of rooms, where strangers temporarily stay and familiar faces are few.
And yet, we know vacations are restorative – they refresh the mind and body – so the opportunity, in my opinion, is to enhance a vacation by offering the tranquility of a home with harmony of nature.
Travel to Discover and Vacation to Live: The Wellness Solution
Having the freedom and privacy a home provides is significant; it makes a vacation more intimate and peaceful. Enjoying these advantages in a pristine environment, where form and function are neither disruptive nor unseemly, is the best way to have all the rituals of travel – from preflight boarding and retrieval of luggage to delays by the Bureau of Customs and the organized chaos of airport security – dissipate with ease.
More importantly, a vacation is an invitation – a rare one – to explore: To hike, swim, camp, bike, climb and see – everything! So, yes, travelers should exhale, and absorb the plush amenities of a king size bed and a sumptuous sofa. But they should also go outside; they have every reason to do so, in places like the British West Indies, Central America and the Gold Coast of Malibu, California.
Simply stated, a green environment is the elixir referenced within the title of this article. Imagine its mountains and trails, its alcoves and caves – picture its forests and pathways, and feel the immersion of its clear seas and friendly creatures. In not so many words, become stress-free.
Companies that further this spirit are businesses with a competitive advantage. They are organizations with healthy workers, where wellness is real and undeniable.
About the Author
Ron Zak is the Founder and CEO of Bellazo Luxury Vacation Club (www.bellazo.com), an exclusive portfolio of private residences, estates and villas in top locales throughout the world. For more information, visit www.bellazodestinationclub.com.
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