All year, I work with clients, educating them on how to break bad habits of the past and create new ones for a more serene financial life. A large part of this is recognizing the difference between a need and a want.

As the school year comes to an end, I have noticed that the patience and tolerance levels of both the kids and I are wearing a little thin and in general, we are all just feeling exhausted.

Depending on who you speak to, a holiday can be both.

Here are my top 5 reasons why I am happy to admit (especially at this time of the year) a holiday is definitely a NEED:

1. When you’re burnt out and exhausted, you’re no good to yourself or anyone around you
2. Your tolerance level for just about anything (in particular if you have kids) plummets to all-time lows
3. Motivation becomes an effort
4. Your quality of sleep drops, exacerbating tiredness
5. Your Mind and Body go into survival mode reducing levels of joy and happiness in your life

Benefits of taking a holiday:

1. Holidays put you in a good mood, make you feel more calm and increase your energy levels
2. They help dissolve stress which is good for your health
3. They clear the mind and help you re-focus upon returning to work, thus improving productivity
4. You often meet new people on holiday opening up a whole new world of social contact and increasing happiness levels
5. You no longer feel the need to yell at your kids because by the third cocktail your tolerance levels have increased dramatically

How do I find money for a holiday when money is tight?

If you’re thinking of taking a holiday but not sure where you’ll find the money, analyse your expenses and pick five wants that you can do without (or reduce just a little).

Here’s five expenses that really add up:

1. Weekly takeaway
2. Dining out
3. Daily cup of takeaway coffee
4. Can of Coke/Sprite/Juice
5. Alcohol

It’s not necessary cut out all these expenses, but look at maybe reducing the number of times you get each, eg. cut out one takeaway meal for the family once a month, results in a saving of $600.

So don’t miss out on another family holiday just because you can’t afford it, change one habit today and see how much your life can change in just 12 months.