Book that mini break: spending the weekend away is actually good for you

This story first published in Eat Play Stay magazine. You can view the e-mag here.

Weekending (verb, present participle of "weekend"): to spend Saturday and Sunday somewhere away from home, in a relaxed manner.

When the multi-week trip is out of the question, whether thanks to jam-packed calendars or financial pressures, the weekend getaway calls.

It's easy, it's local, and it's spontaneous. Knock off early or leave home after work on Friday and be back by nightfall on Sunday evening.

According to research by Airbnb, nearly 80 per cent of Australians find short trips less pressured and more enjoyable than long breaks. It's just as well, given that 90 per cent say they find it difficult to regularly take time away from work.

If you need a science-backed incentive to escape reality this weekend and get out of town for a night or two, let psychologist Sabina Read sway you. It turns out, weekending is good for you.

"Living repetitive cycles of work and family life without taking regular breaks can cause temporal compression, or a sense that your life is speeding up as days blend together, impacting our mental and emotional well-being," Sabina says.

The beauty of a weekend away is that it doesn't have to be complicated. You don't have to travel far to escape the daily grind; in fact, 47 per cent of working Australians reported that a short two-to-three-hour drive is enough to switch off, making local getaways just as effective for rest and relaxation as stints abroad.

So, let this be your sign. It's time to lock in your next 48-hour escape for some local rest and rejuvenation.