Friday Coffee Chats by The Happy 9 to 5
Welcome to Friday Coffee Chats by The Happy 9 to 5, your all-in-one resource for navigating the modern working world without losing yourself in the process. If you're struggling to reach your career goals without burning out, stay productive with a never-ending to-do list, set healthy boundaries at work, or gain back control over your life, this podcast is for you.
At The Happy 9 to 5, we share no-fluff, practical advice backed by science that will transform your work and life into a more fulfilling experience. Our mission is to provide you with the best toolbox for a healthier, happier work-life balance, and to empower you to build the life you deserve, one podcast episode at a time.
Join us every Friday for our coffee chat sessions, where we delve into topics such as finding your confidence, working productively without long hours, and maintaining a healthy balance between professional and personal success. Our advice is grounded in our own experiences as work and organizational psychologists, as young professionals, and as women who just like you are seeking to achieve their potential, and thrive both at work and in life.
Love,
Eleni & Tina
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Friday Coffee Chats by The Happy 9 to 5
52. How to make the most of your vacation (without even leaving home) with Prof. Dr. Jessica de Bloom
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Taking time off should leave you recharged—but does it actually? In this Friday Coffee Chat, we’re joined by vacation and recovery expert Professor Jessica de Bloom to explore what truly makes time off restorative (hint: it’s not about a fancy destination).
We talk about:
✨ Why vacation is more about how you spend your time—not where
✨ Why waiting all year for one long vacation isn’t doing you any favors
✨ What most people get wrong about “workations” (and what to do instead)
✨ How to create mini-vacation moments at home that really help you detach
Whether you’re planning a trip or just craving better weekends, this coffee chat will help you rethink rest and start designing downtime that actually works.
Helpful tools & links from our guest expert:
Slow travel: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14766820903464242
Challenges of digital nomads: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40558-020-00172-4
More evidence-based vacation tips: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/making-holidays-work
DRAMMA model including self-test: https://psyche.co/guides/why-you-should-forget-work-life-balance-in-crafting-a-good-life
Why our brains need downtime: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mental-downtime/
If your work is taking over your life and you struggle to unplug in the evening or even the weekend, we'd love to help you create a work-life balance that works for you!
Love,
Tina & Eleni
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