A commercial real estate and development professional, Gene Bernshtam reckons that a good work ethic is essential to becoming successful. He also believes that part of having a good work ethic is knowing when and how to take a break. Business leaders and company management are under a ton of pressure from work and family life. Some of them consider traveling as a means for them to rest, refresh, and restart.
Various studies show that traveling is good for a person’s health. Men who took at least one vacation a year proved to have 30% less risk of dying from heart disease. Another study revealed that persons who don’t take breaks are at higher risk of falling ill from a heart attack. Among 15,000 women, travel is found to reduce their risk of depression remarkably. But even with the countless health benefits of traveling, people still have reservations about going on a vacation.
Gene Bernshtam gains new perspective each time he travels. Meeting people from all walks of life opens one’s eyes to the many wonders of the world and its dwellers. Traveling puts one in their place as they learn that their perspective has numerous blind spots. Experiencing cultures different from one’s own enhances their vision and improves their grip on reality. One of the things traveling can teach a person is that school is not enough to teach a person about the world. Without much effort, travel teaches people about politics, economy, geography, history, sociology, in a hands-on manner.
Traveling helps people reinvent themselves, shares Gene Bernshtam. If a person is open to it, travel can stretch their mind in a manner that they never think is possible. Seeing new places can give one the chance to restart, if and when, they are going through something tough in their life. Traveling fuels one’s happiness and content. One major reason people travel is to step out of their daily routine or toxic work situation, notes Gene Bernshtam. The mere anticipation of a trip boosts a person’s happiness and satisfaction significantly, even more than their expectation of receiving material things. Gene Bernshtam mentions that traveling makes one mentally resilient. Heading to a destination and staying at a place where one feels vulnerable and, at the same time, excited strengthen the mind and emotions. Being faced with a challenging situation, among different people in a foreign environment, nudges a person to learn and adjust to a reality that is way outside of the familiar territory.