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Just like New Year’s resolutions, our promises not to check work emails or messages over the holidays are all too easily broken.
But Ty Ferguson, Carol Maher and Rachel Curtis remind us that switching off from the office is important for our physical and mental health, and will help us be happier and more productive when we return to work.
While we are not helped by our phones and laptops effectively tethering us to the workplace by making us easier to track down, our assorted devices can be switched off. This lets us properly enjoy our recreation, relationships, sleep and exercise.
The health benefits of disconnecting – backed by more than 80 studies – are indisputable. The length or location doesn’t matter, as long as you actually take a break.
So-called “soft” activities such as hiking and exploring nature are particularly restorative. So, if you haven’t already, book some time off and get away this summer. And better still, make sure you take more regular breaks during the year.
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Margaret Easterbrook
Business Editor
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Ty Ferguson, University of South Australia; Carol Maher, University of South Australia; Rachel Curtis, University of South Australia
Switching off phones or laptops when on holidays can help us get more out of our free time and relationships.
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Carl Rhodes, University of Technology Sydney
Josh Bornstein, the employment lawyer who represents Antoinette Lattouf in her case against the ABC (as well as various union clients), argues that individual liberty is under threat.
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Grozdana Manalo, University of Sydney
Job hunting can be stressful but the process can be eased by following some simple steps that land you a suitable, properly remunerated gig.
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Saman Khalesi, CQUniversity Australia; Charlotte Gupta, CQUniversity Australia; Talitha Best, CQUniversity Australia
Eating when we experience stress is a normal behaviour to meet increased energy needs. But sometimes our relationship with food becomes strained in the process.
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Kasey Symons, Deakin University
Backyard cricket is a key entry point for cricket participation but it is facing many challenges, including apartment living and modern technology.
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Francisco Jose Testa, University of Tasmania
The dinosaurs went extinct on Christmas Day.
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Andrew Woods, Southern Cross University; Willa Maguire, Southern Cross University
What you know and what you bring with you to the beach could protect you from dangers including sunburn and heat exposure, injury or death.
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Julie Old, Western Sydney University
Here’s everything you need to know about this iconic animal, including why they need antlers, why they really can have red noses and how their eyes change colour!
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Ari Mattes, University of Notre Dame Australia
Original horror stories, a sequel to an Aussie hit, and a Christmas film: the best of Australian cinema in 2024.
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Sophie Gee, University of Sydney
An expert in literary classics recommends 5 rich, classic page-turners to read over summer – and explains why they’re still relevant today. She also shares her favourite lines.
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Politics + Society
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William A. Stoltz, Australian National University; Michael Rogers, Northwestern University
The incoming administration faces three flashpoints in cyber security that will be crucial over the next four years.
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Health + Medicine
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Flora Hui, The University of Melbourne
Squinting into the sun can damage your eyes and the delicate skin around them.
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Suneha Seetahul, University of Sydney; Pierre Levasseur, Inrae
Households that relied on groundwater and rainwater consumed 381–406 grams more sugary drinks per week than those with access to a piped water system.
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Environment + Energy
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Shukla Poddar, UNSW Sydney; Merlinde Kay, UNSW Sydney
Increasing temperatures puts a strain on electricity supplies, while bushfire smoke can limit the electricity produced by solar panels. So, what can we do about it?
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Education
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Peter Hurley, Victoria University; Melinda Hildebrandt, Victoria University
Immigration officials will manage student visa applications using a “prioritisation threshold”. Here’s what that means for international students, universities, private colleges and TAFEs.
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Arts + Culture
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Richard Scully, University of New England; Robert Phiddian, Flinders University; Stephanie Brookes, Monash University
Michael Leunig has died age 79. By turns over his long career, he was a poet, a prophet and a provocateur.
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Books + Ideas
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Penni Russon, Monash University
John Marsden, the bestselling author of the Tomorrow series (and more than 40 books altogether) has died. His difficult early life fed his many decades of writing for young people and teaching them.
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Business + Economy
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Andrew Terry, University of Sydney
You’ve almost definitely shopped at a franchise. But how does the model, ‘cloning’ a business to be run by independent owner-operators, actually work?
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Mark Crosby, Monash University
If you’re an Australian travelling overseas, prepare to possibly pay more. But for other groups, including our export industries, a weak Australian dollar can have upsides.
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Antje Fiedler, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Benjamin Fath, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Martie-Louise Verreynne, The University of Queensland
Small and medium businesses have struggled in 2024 – with record rates of liquidations in New Zealand and Australia. But there are things they can do to make 2025 more successful.
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Creative Australia
Sydney NSW, Australia
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Full Time
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