surprising, considering that the U.S. is the only developed country without legally mandated paid vacation and holidays (even Japan requires ten days of paid annual leave).
However, we can’t just blame the federal government or stingy corporate leave policies for lack of time off: U.S. workers, on average, fail to use nearly five vacation days a year, and are taking the least amount of vacation in nearly 40 years. Not only are employees basically giving away their time, they’re on the fast track to burnout, and worse: women who don’t take vacations are 50 percent more likely to have heart attacks, and men are 30 percent more likely; some women are also more likely to suffer from depression. Additionally, 80 percent of workers report feeling stress on the job, and it’s probably not a coincidence that 70 percent of visits to healthcare providers are due to stress related conditions.
Skimping on vacation isn’t just bad for our physical and mental health, it’s bad for our employers’ bottom lines: the U.S. Travel Association says that companies carry approximately $224 billion in liabilities for accumulated employee vacation time. These sobering statistics, combined with the benefits of taking time off – better physical health, more productivity, closer family relationships, newer perspectives, increased mental power, lower chance of burnout, and improved mental health – can only lead to one conclusion:
TAKE A VACATION.
Or, if you can swing it, why not a sabbatical or a career break?
Here’s a closer look at a few current and recent adventures: