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Is the 9 to 5 rat race quietly hampering our wellbeing?
The World Health Organization seems to think so with its definition of burnout as a syndrome rooted in the workplace, marked by feelings of exhaustion, detachment and a decline in personal efficacy. However, these feelings don’t just clock out at the end of the workday when the laptop closes.
According to Mental Health UK, as many as nine in 10 Brits reported experiencing “high or extreme levels of pressure and stress” within the last year – a trend that has stubbornly remained constant since 2024.
While it may be tempting to shrug it off and say that all we need is a little more motivation to power through the slump, experts in a piece for The Guardian dispelled these myths, arguing that burnout isn’t something that can be remedied by simply doing more… work.
Outside the office, chatter in response to this is taking shape: switching off completely as a retreat from constant emails, Zoom meetings and even AI slop.
But could stepping away from our smart gadgets and high-speed wifi connections while travelling be part of the answer?
Enter the ‘deadzone’
Travel in Europe saw a surge last year, with domestic and international travellers spending nearly 3.1 billion nights in accommodation across the continent, according to eurostat.
But does time spent away necessarily mean taking time off?
Holidays can easily slip into remote work scenarios. A quick check of an email in between alfresco dining, or a call taken in transit and other notifications cutting into what is meant to be rest.
So, are we really switching off or just relocating our workday routines?
As Dr. Birgit Trauer, whose PhD is in Tourism Management from The University of Queensland in Australia, explained to Euronews Travel, trips are shaped by “push-pull” motivations.
“We tend to think of travel as being drawn towards a destination, but it’s equally about being pushed away from something, whether it’s work or other stressors,” she said.
“Psychologically, we’re often trying to step away from what isn’t serving us, in search of something that feels better.”
This is where “deadzoning” comes in – a concept all about intentional disconnect while on holiday, which can be through choosing an off-the-grid destination with low signal or being choosy with the notifications you keep on.
Work calls? Silenced. Office emails? Redirected with an out-of-office message. You get the idea. In this sense, Dr Trauer added that connection, but not the digital kind, is just as important.
“Connection is part of our DNA as humans,” she said. “Whether it’s with others, or even ourselves.”
She explained that the hum-drum of everyday routine, coupled with the expectations that it demands, can drain a person’s sense of self and create barriers to social interactions.
“Intentional travel, or if we want to call it ‘deadzoning’, is about regeneration: reigniting our innate human capacities to connect, to be kind to others, and reconnect with themselves and what is true for them,” she added.
Is this a new concept and can the ‘deadzone’ be harmful?
In an article by Huffpost, “deadzoning” was said to be especially popular among millennials and Gen Z travellers, “who are increasingly prioritising mental health and presence over productivity”.
But how can we forget about the Hippie Trails? A now bygone era from the mid 1950s to the late 1970s, where, according to The Traveller’s Michael Gebicki, you could travel for weeks without without speaking with anyone from back home and discover that “being incommunicado is wonderfully liberating”.
While Dr. Trauer acknowledges that millennials and Gen Z travellers have coined the term “deadzoning” in response to today’s algorithmic driven culture, the idea itself is far from being completely new.
“We’ve been discussing this concept in academia for years,” she said. “I think what might be different now is that the younger generations are doing it consciously and not just joining an ‘aesthetic minimalism’ bandwagon. Their responses to being chronically online is not to necessarily reject technology, but rebalance and better control how they engage with it.”
Dr. Trauer also said that intentional travel can play a role in regulating mental health by reducing the “cognitive load” of constant digital engagement.
By unplugging, travellers can lower stress and anxiety levels while improving mood. Limiting screen time can also improve sleep and boost mindfulness – supporting individual wellbeing and improving our socio-interactions by being more present and engaged in the moment.
But can switching off come at a cost?
The travel expert and wellbeing advocate also discussed what she referred to as “reversed culture shocks”, where intentional travellers think and feel different after their trip, yet their environment remains the same.
“This can be challenging because it creates a disconnect where they no longer feel like they fit into their old routines, and it can leave them wanting to escape again rather than integrate those changes into daily lives and routines when they return.”
Europe’s quiet alternatives
“There’s an assumption deadzoning needs to be a big trip,” said Dr. Trauer when asked about how accessible the trend can be, especially on travellers’ wallets.
“While destinations like Australia, or parts of Asia are popular for disconnecting, I always say it can start much closer to home, even through domestic travel.”
Long-haul destinations may be tempting (and expensive), but Europe offers it on escapes.
For instance, away from the bustle of Athens and summer crowds of Mykonos, the villages of the Greek island Amorgos, where tradition and slow living never faded away, offer a haven for travellers in search of stillness.
In places like Aegiali Ormos, fishing boats quaintly line the port, while locals and visitors take long walks along paths like The Old Strata, or unwind across its endless beaches.
Speaking of long walks to clear mental clutter, Romania’s Via Transilvanica hiking route warrants mention. The 1,400-kilometre trail, also ideal for cycling and horse riding, cuts through forests, villages and mountain ridges, and its name translates to the “road that unites”. It also winds through regions like Bucovina, Terra Siculorum and Terra Dacica that are steeped in layers of ancient history and Romanian culture, all while retaining a serene stillness.
Denmark’s fjord landscapes are defined by calm waters, open skies and cool temperatures. A boat trip on Roskilde Fjord feels like a journey back in time – before endless digital scrolling. The 40km inlet’s shore still holds traces of history, like stone age and Viking era settlements.
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