Scheduled your summer vacation yet? Why you need to right away

The beach, the mountains … even a staycation. If you haven’t planned how you’ll use some vacation days this summer, don’t waste another minute. The benefits are more far-reaching than you’ve ever imagined.

So says the State of American Vacation 2018 survey from Project: Time Off.

Of course that’s sometimes easier said than done. Which is why 52% of all people left at least some vacation time on the table last year.

Still, there’s a compelling case to be in that other 48%. Especially if you’re a woman.

Check out what’s standing in the way of many people’s R&R, as well as why using every last vacation day you’re entitled to may be the best thing you do all year.

Have you ever uttered any of these?

No shortage of reasons for not being able to get away from the office. Here’s what your peers says keeps them chained to their desk – any of them sound familiar:

• I worry about looking “replaceable” (61%)
• My workload is too heavy (56%)
• There’s no one to cover my job (56%)
• I can’t because of my pet (54%)
• Travel is a logistics hassle (54%)
• I’m worried about security and safety when traveling (54%)
• Travel costs too much (53%)
• I can’t because of my child/children (52%)
• I don’t like being away from my regular routine (52%).

All of them have merit, for sure. But as women we especially know, you can talk yourself out of anything.

And how much weight you give to any of these reasons is likely impacted by whether or not your company has a “positive vacation culture” – one that encourages people to take the time off they’ve earned and doesn’t throw up roadblocks (or attitude) when they do.

Everybody wins

But there are significant and very tangible benefits to taking vacation, long beyond the week that out-of-office message is on.

The survey ID’d increased happiness on all of these fronts:

• Personal relationships (79%)
• The amount of vacation time you use (77%)
• The company you work for (72%)
• Your job (68%), and
• Physical health and well-being (58%).

Many of these not only benefit you, but your team and your company as a whole. Tough to refute that!

So break out that calendar and see when you can schedule some summer time off.