Photo by: Deborah M. McCormick
It’s well documented and supported that vacation improves health and well-being, boosts morale and productivity, and alleviates burnout. Yet, too many of us do not take our vacation time (or we work too much during the time we do take). According to a study by Project: Time Off, more than half of American workers leave vacation time unused – a trend that has been worsening for the past 15 years. Of the days unused, certainly some of the time is being saved and rolled over to the next vacation year, but too much is simply being left on the table.
There is no denying that it’s hard to find the time to get away. No one wants to return to a mountain of work. And coordinating all the details necessary to be absent from our workplaces is a challenge. But, vacation is necessary for our physical and mental health. In fact, vacation is as necessary as eating well and getting enough sleep and exercise, and scheduling an annual physical. Your workplace will survive without you – and be better for it when you return.
We’re not doing ourselves (or anyone else in the company or at home) any favors by burning ourselves out. We all need the opportunity to take a break, to change our routines, to relieve stress, and to hit the reset button. The time away from work allows you to refresh and rejuvenate, to reflect and to gain new perspective.
The time away from work allows you to refresh and rejuvenate, to reflect and to gain new perspective.
If it’s been a while since your last break, don’t delay. Plan a vacation. Employers, communicate your vacation benefit and encourage your employees to take their much needed breaks. Vacations don’t have to be expensive to be effective. Yours can be a far-away destination, a car ride away or a “staycation”. Just make sure it really is a break. A vacation spent checking work email is not going to recharge you. Limit the work as much as possible.
No promises that you won’t have some catching up to do when you get back, but you’ll return healthier, happier, with more focus and a renewed perspective – and the mountain of work just might seem more like a hill.
Submitted by: Deborah M. McCormick