Are you sitting in your cubicle right now staring at your computer screen and wondering what the point of all of this is? If you answered yes to this question, you’re not the only one unfortunately. More and more Americans are not taking their vacation time, and it’s doing them no good. It’s already bad enough that Americans earn the least amount of vacation days among most of the industrialized countries, but many feel that they cannot even take those days they earned.
Americans, on average, don’t use two of the fourteen vacation days they earn each year. The reasons they cite for not taking them include banking those days for later, not being able to afford to take a vacation and lack of job security. While there is some validity to all of these reasons, there are a million reasons why you should use your vacation too. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
- It will make you feel better: If you’re unsure of whether or not you should look at Cape Cod vacation rentals or plan that trip to the Bahamas, keep this in mind: People who skip their vacations are more likely to be stressed, which can increase your risk of sickness. Over time, the inflammation caused by stress can wreak havoc on the body and make it more susceptible to illness. Those who use their vacation time are generally less stressed and feel better.
- It will help you live longer: You will not only lead a healthier life – you’ll lead a longer life too. In one study conducted by the State University of New York at Oswego, men between the ages of 35-57 reduced their risk of death by 20 percent if they took vacations. This could be because people who spend most of their time in their cubicle without a respite are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular troubles and depression.
- It will help you be a better employee: The other thing about stress is that it just doesn’t affect you physically. If you’re logging in long days at the office, you might not be at your mental best after a while. You might put in less effort and feel drained by the daily grind. Taking a vacation can allow you to take a break and recover from the mental cloud you’re experiencing. Most people will say that they have better ideas and a more positive attitude when they come back.
You can always find a reason to not take a vacation or use your days, but is that reason more important than living longer, living healthier and being happy? If not, you should consider visiting a traveling site.
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Alyssa Golden is an avid blogger always looking to share her experiences and recommendations. She is constantly traveling for work and occasionally for pleasure. You can follow her on Twitter @madeofGolden.