25 signs you need a break

We’ve all done it – putting milk in the cupboard and cereal in the fridge, entering a room and forgetting what you went in for (a specialty of mine) and getting irate when having to queue. But according to Best Western, these are all key signs you need a break.

The study of 2,000 people revealed swearing more often, repeatedly hitting snooze on the alarm and forgetting a loved one’s birthday were also common signs of stress, along with having a messy house but not wanting want to tidy it and eating more and more comfort food.

On average, people will put up with five different signs a break is needed before they will actually commit to going somewhere nice.

Indeed, one in five of those polled will wait until absolute breaking point before booking a short break. Other signs a rest might be a good idea include shouting at the telly more often and secretly wanting to dislike photos on Facebook when friends share their holiday snaps.

Key findings included:

• In order to feel suitably refreshed, a break should last an average of four days
• The most popular region to visit would be South West England, closely followed by Scotland and North West England.
• Once back home those surveyed feel refreshed for six days on average and they wait around seven months before going away for their next break.
• The biggest barrier to getting away is finances, followed by not being able to get time off work and family commitments.
• On average the longest period people have gone without taking a long weekend is two years and three months.
• And sadly, 8% of those surveyed have gone without a break for 10 years or more at some point in their life.

TOP 25 SIGNS YOU NEED A BREAK

1. The house is messy and you have no motivation to tidy it up
2. Start eating increasing amounts of comfort food
3. Regularly experiencing mild rage when the supermarket queue is taking too long
4. You enter a room and can’t remember what you went into there for
5. You hit snooze on your morning alarm one too many times
6. Finding yourself swearing more often
7. Calling people by the wrong name
8. Putting milk in the cupboard and cereal in the fridge
9. You can no longer muster the will to make small talk at work
10. Spending more time daydreaming than your actual day job
11. Forgetting a loved one’s birthday
12. Finding more grey hairs
13. Over-reaction when your computer crashes at work
14. Shouting at the TV more regularly than usual
15. Talking to yourself more often, and thinking it is totally normal
16. Your to-do list looks like more of a novel – and you can’t face starting it
17. You’ve used up your weekly wine allowance, and its only Wednesday
18. When you find yourself looking over old travel pictures
19. Driving past your junction on your way home from work
20. You’ve upped your coffee intake by at least three cups per day
21. Counting down the days until the kids return to school
22. Secretly wanting a dislike button on social media to use when friends share their holiday pictures
23. Spending more money on the lottery
24. Forgetting a colleague’s name
25. Leaving the house with your slippers on