How To Actually Use Up Those Vacation Days
Taking vacation has benefits beyond maintaining sanity. (Photo: Getty Images)
Be honest with yourself: How much time do you spend daydreaming about lying on the beach, versus actually lying on the beach? If you’re like most Americans, you’re not using up that precious PTO: A recent survey from the U.S. Travel Association found that 41 percent of people with jobs that offer vacation days don’t plan to use all their paid time off. But why? This year, make a point to use up those vacation days (it’ll help you avoid burnout).
WHY YOU NEED TO MAKE THE CHANGE
Workaholism might benefit your company’s bottom line, but it’s not exactly conducive to taking vacation. And when you do decide to take a few days off, maybe you’re constantly checking your email, not fully unplugging from the demands of work. While your boss might think you’re a good worker, your health could be suffering. Research shows there’s an association between skipping vacation time and an increased risk of heart attack and heart disease.
Related: How Having A Loaded Calendar Can Backfire
Vacation time also allows your brain to take a break from work. This is important not only for creativity and happiness, but research suggests some mental downtime is also good for memory. “The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is profound,” clinical psychologist Francine Lederer, who specializes in stress and relationship management, told Inside Science. “Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out.”
HOW TO DO IT
It can be hard to get over the fear of taking time off when you’ve already set the precedent. But think of it this way: Your health is at stake!
Related: How To Become A Morning Person
First, take your new 2015 calendar and plan out your time off (including vacation and personal time you may need for family or relationship obligations), Brian Miller, COO and president of AdviCoach and The Entrepreneur’s Source, tells Fast Company. (Bonus: It’ll give you something to look forward to as the year progresses.) Then, when you’re on your vacation, make a point to really unplug. “Ask yourself what are you missing by engaging [in social media] and not being by yourself or in a hobby you are passionate about,” Carson Tate, managing partner of Working Simply, tells Fast Company.
If you’re still feeling a bit nervous about letting go, employ a buddy system. “Having at least one person you can rely on for keeping your work afloat during the time you are outside of the office [helps] releases a lot of the pressure that comes with leaving work,” Adriana Ruiz, a public relations consultant with Newlink in Miami, tells Daily Finance.
Finally! You Can… is a Yahoo Health series empowering you to achieve your wellness goals — once and for all.
Your Next Read: 5 Steps To Cope With The Office Candy Bowl
