Did you know that 9 out of 10 Americans say their happiest moments came from vacations, yet according to Horizon Workforce Consulting two-thirds of Americans do not use all their paid vacation days?

It is a contradiction that the majority of people value their family over work, remember vacations more vividly than other weeks of the year, and yet often avoid actually taking these coveted vacations.

How many of the weeks you can remember over the past 10 years were during a vacation?

Do any of these reasons keep you from taking time off from work?

• You fear asking your boss for the time off?
• You feel guilty taking time off because it will put a burden on other people you work with?
• You dread having to orchestrate everything to accommodate you being gone–who will handle some of your responsibilities, what needs to be rescheduled, what will you miss, and how will you get other things done before you go?
• You dread even more the pile of work that will await you when you get back?
• You don’t want people to see they can get along just fine without you?

Other countries with long-standing minimum vacation requirements don’t seem to have the level of vacation phobia that Americans struggle with.  Taking time off from work (whether you work at home caring for others, have a full-time job, or something in between) is good for you and for the work you do.  Let’s look more closely to relieve you of participating in what TakeBackYourTime.org calls the epidemic of overwork.

1. By taking a vacation you will actually improve your work because time-off:
   1. Increases productivity
   2. Sparks creativity
   3. Improves problem-solving
2. According to a 9-year study by Brooks Gump, PhD, MPH, and Karen Mathews, PhD more frequent vacations are good for your health and may even reduce your chance of stress-related deaths from things like heart attacks.

One of the first things you are instructed to do if your computer is having trouble is to turn it off and then re-start it.  You, too, need time to reboot.

Everyone needs unstructured time to explore their creative nature, experience joy, and reconnect to loved ones.  This time does not mean leaving your work and using the time to care for an elderly relative or fix up your house. This is time where your responsibilities are lessoned and your playfulness is increased.  It can be across the ocean, down the street, or in your own backyard–as long as you get to genuinely let go.

When is your next vacation?  If you don’t have any time-off planned, why not sit down tonight and start day-dreaming!