The Time to Plan is Now
It’s the last day of the first month of the new year. And it’s cold. OK, it’s winter and it’s supposed to be cold. Seriously, Mother Nature – 18 in Maine, 4 in North Dakota and minus 1 in Minnesota? The freezing temperatures are coast to coast, north to south, and make me want to hibernate. You, too? Then today is the perfect day to cuddle up to your computer and plan a vacation!
On this National Plan for Vacation Day, let’s look at how a perk at work gets treated like a jerk. Over half of Americans don’t take all their paid time off from work. They have the benefit of vacation and personal days, in addition to sick days, and yet they don’t take full advantage of the benefit.
That, in spite of the fact that in the most recent comprehensive study of vacation time as a benefit, 63% of workers said a generous paid time off package was a deciding factor in whether or not they would accept a job offer. Clearly we want to be offered vacation time, so why don’t we use all of it?
An IPX1030 study done during the pandemic found that most of the top reasons people don’t use all of the vacation days they’re entitled to revolve around fear:
- Fear of returning to a mountain of work
- Fear of being seen as replaceable
- Fear of looking unproductive and unprofessional
In truth, taking vacation is associated with more productivity, more dedication to the job, the team, and the company, as well as a better ability to problem-solve. Taking time off to recharge the batteries is vital to a balanced life, better family cohesion, better team dynamics, and overall mental health and wellbeing.
Are you someone who has a tough time using your vacation throughout the year? The world’s second-shortest podcast can help you with that!
- Find it hard to take a vacation? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
- Need an excuse to take a vacation? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
- Want to finally understand that time IS money? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
The daily Wellbeing Wisdom Tiny Bites podcast is designed to help you retrain your brain for more success and happiness. Give it 90 seconds a day and then get on with living your best life.
As for planning a vacation, it’s cold outside. Get some coffee, tea or other beverage you love, think about where you’d like to go this year and get to scrolling! Can’t wait to see your vacation pictures and hear how you used all of your vacation days this year!
Wags, Sandy Weaver, Program Director, Center for Workplace Happiness
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