Take a break — no, really
WHY VACATION TIME IS IMPORTANT
If you have vacation time, you’re entitled to use it. You’re entitled to relax. You’re entitled to a break from workplace stress so your hormones have the opportunity to rebalance.
We have good news and bad news about Americans taking vacations, according to the State of American Vacation 2018 survey from Project: Time Off. First, the good news: 2017 was the third year in a row in which the number of American workers who left vacation time on the table decreased. Now, the bad news: More than half (52 percent) of American workers reported having unused vacation days at the end of the year.
Although the average number of used vacation days has increased from 16.2 to 17 since 2014, the average number of earned vacation days is 23.2.
That means workers are spending more than a week working when they could be relaxing. A separate study from Glassdoor found that two thirds of respondents work while on vacation. That
number has been trending up since 2014.
What I find particularly concerning is the top reason why people don’t use vacation time: 61% of respondents to the Project: Time Off survey who didn’t use all their vacation time were concerned that they would appear less dedicated or even replaceable.
The corporate culture problem
62 percent of survey respondents said their company discourages vacations, sends mixed messages, or says nothing about vacation time.
It’s one thing for employers to not prioritize vacations, it’s quite another to discourage vacations and create the perception that time off is an obstacle to growth or a punishable offense. As a result, employees will often work from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and wear it like a badge of honor, hoping it will earn them a pay increase.
More than an unhealthy work environment, this mindset contributes to an unhealthy, stressed and less productive workforce.
Many people think all stress-related issues are from the neck up. It’s a psychological and emotional weakness, not a physical illness. In reality, stress has a direct impact on how we feel physically.
The physical impact of stress
Stress and exhaustion go hand in hand. Stress saps our energy supply and is often followed by both physical and mental fatigue, both of which can make workers less productive.
Stress leads to weight gain. When stressed, the human body produces the stress hormone cortisol. This causes other hormones to become imbalanced, which leads to the buildup of body fat. Stress also causes us to make poor nutritional choices, like binge eating junk food late at night.
Stress causes inflammation. The human response to severe stress is called “fight or flight.” This instinctive physiological reaction, which helps you determine if you should resist or retreat in a high stress situation, should be reserved for extreme duress, tragedy or trauma.
For example, you should tap into “fight or flight” when confronted by a bear in the woods, not a long line at the grocery store.
When you constantly respond to stress in everyday life using the “fight or flight” mechanism, your body produces chemicals that create inflammation, which is a primary cause of disease and dysfunction. People who are overworked and exhausted have a difficult time controlling their response to stress.
Take a vacation – for your health
If you have vacation time, you’re entitled to use it. You’re entitled to relax. You’re entitled to a break from workplace stress so your hormones have the opportunity to rebalance.
Employers should recognize that four weeks of vacation per year will make you more productive for the other 48 weeks. Research from Harvard Business Review found that a planned vacation that takes you far away from work will deliver positive ROI 94 percent of the time. Vacations have been repeatedly tied to professional success and happiness at work and home.
Don’t overwork yourself into serious health issues. Plan a vacation for 2018 if you haven’t already. You deserve it – and your body needs it.