Some Shocking News About Why You Really Need That Vacation

Here’s a pre-pandemic fact that will send a chill down your spine.

In the coming year, more than 54% of Americans are likely not to use all of their vacation days. That is more than half of all workers … nearly 80 million people.

Now, post-pandemic, I suspect that number is actually higher. Because some of us may be feeling squeamish about travel, even after vaccination. And yet … what’s also true is that taking regular vacation time is critical for your health.  Here’s another scary fact.

Researchers at Oxford report that women who only take one vacation every six years are eight times more likely to develop heart disease than those who take two vacations every year.

Pandemic or not, that figure will not change. The truth is that your body and your mind both need at least one good vacation per year. You return refreshed, relaxed and ready to dig in again. And that sense of well-being is not just an illusion. A CNN study finds that vacations can improve your work productivity by nearly 80%.

Furthermore, a Vienna study found that workers returned from vacations with fewer stress-related complaints like back aches and headaches. And they still felt better five weeks later. That’s powerful, right?

Roger Dow, President of the U.S. Travel Association notes that ‘People who take more time off tend to get more promotions.” Still the anti-vacation bias lingers on.

Again, for those not sure yet about travel post-pandemic, consider this. It’s just waaaaay too easy to keep on hunkering down in your cocoon, staying safe. If that’s you, consider what the benefits of even getting away for 2 or 3 days can be.  And ask yourself this big question– do you experience ‘vacation shame’ if you ask for time off from work?

Roughly 70% of American millennials—the same generation who’ve had to beg and scramble for their jobs—are afraid to take time off. When they do, nearly 70% feel vacation shamed by colleagues and bosses.

According to Forbes Magazine, vacation shaming is when co-workers and bosses discourage worker vacations with guilt trips and peer pressure. In other words, it means you’re simply not dedicated. Just not a ‘team player’.

Even though, ironically, such time off can seriously improve your work output.

Perhaps the issue is that collectively, as a culture, we continue to believe that we’ll never get it all done. So we slog on at work, with no end in sight.

In Europe, by contrast, extended vacations that last for weeks or months are common. In Norway, vacation takes the form of a public holiday called fellesferrie. Every July for two to four weeks, companies simply close or run on summer hours.

In France, this is a law across all industries. All workers get a guaranteed five-week vacation period every year. Employees at Le Figaro, the national newspaper, get eight weeks of paid vacation. In addition, if they work more than a very reasonable 35 hours per week … they get even more time off.

This explains why so much of Paris closes down in July and August.

And yet, it doesn’t even take weeks or months to get a good rest. Researchers have found the ideal vacation length is actually eight days. That’s when a good vacation peaks and crests. After that, you may even begin to get itchy to get back to work.

With a little strategic planning, you can even turn fourteen paid vacation days into three week long vacations per year.

For those who still aren’t convinced, consider this fact according to psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert.

You can get nearly as much benefit from a three-day getaway as you can from a week’s vacation. That’s just one three-day getaway. I’ve personally been enjoying several three day getaways in the last few months. In fact, the picture above is from one of them to San Simeon on the Central Coast in California, where I live.

If getting away on an average week long vacation seems too risky in light of COVID, or you’re just not ready to emerge yet, consider a shorter benefit–the rewards will be truly be worth it.

And don’t you deserve it?

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