September 1, 2018 | Categories: Travel
Still have vacation days left to use up this year? You’re with the majority of Americans. A LinkedIn survey released this summer found that 51% of Americans didn’t use all of their allotted vacation days last year. Why? They fear falling behind.
I get it. I’m a full-time freelance writer and content marketing writer, so stepping away from work means no dough for me. But most companies are giving you paid vacation days! So why aren’t you using them.
A much-needed vacation can help prevent illness, make you happier, wealthier, and even improve your love life.
In an ad campaign by MasterCard, a group of children lectures us that 400 million PTO days go unused every year. One young boy comments: “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard.” Well said, kid. (Here’s how to maximize your vacation time.)
Think fast: How many vacation days do you have left this year? If you don’t know the answer, go investigate — and then start planning how you’ll use them, pronto.
To motivate you to book your next trip, here are seven ways taking time off can benefit your health, career and sex life.
“Working too many weeks in a row can be very detrimental to your health,” says Jeff Marksberry, MD, who works with the American Institute of Stress. Employees who fail to take needed breaks are prone to increases in the stress hormone cortisol, which research shows can weaken your immune system and possibly lead to heart problems down the road. “Taking a vacation lets your body and mind recover from the constant bombardment of stress, allowing your immune system to ‘reboot’ so you’re less likely to get sick,” Dr. Marksberry says. (Signs you’re about to get sick.)
If you’ve spent time perusing the travel boards on Pinterest, you know that even the anticipation of planning a trip can put you in a sunnier frame of mind. A study in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life found that people who are about to go on a vacation feel happier in the weeks leading up to their trip, compared to folks with no travel plans on the horizon. Plus, according to the research, if your vacation is relaxing enough, you’ll continue to feel blissed out for up to eight weeks afterwards. (Do these morning habits to feel happier all day.)
If you’re not using your vacation days because you’re on a budget, spend your time off taking long weekends — it’ll do everyone some good. The U.S. Travel Association reports that encouraging workers to use one more day of paid leave each year could bring $73 billion more to our economy annually (because, let’s face it, we all spend more when we travel more).
In a study of 887 super stressed lawyers, published in the journal Human Relations, researchers found that those who took vacations, and were active and social, experienced reduced levels of depression compared to those who spent leisure time watching TV or listening to music. “Quality time should include things like being outdoors, spending time with friends and family, exercise, and some ‘me’ time,” says Dr. Marksberry. That means spending precious hours away from your cellphone, too.
Hello, vacation sex! A U.S. Travel Association survey found that couples that travel together are more likely to have a better sex life, enjoy more romance, and be more satisfied in their relationships. “Going away on vacation can benefit your relationship with your partner by taking you out of your everyday routine and opening yourselves up to new experiences,” says Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “It may even give you an opportunity to capture some of those feelings of your early time together as a couple.”
“Not using these days is like giving your employer a discount on your paycheck,” says Gary Oster, executive VP of member services at the U.S. Travel Association. Too stressed at work to contemplate leaving it all behind? “If you set yourself up properly before vacation, you should be OK when you get back,” he says. Communicate with your managers and team about what needs to be done before you take off, and set a time to get briefed on the most pressing items when you return, he suggests.
Just thinking about traveling to new places may boost your creativity, according to a study from the American Psychological Assocation. Mentally picturing yourself in a foreign place and contemplating having new experiences can give you an improved sense of self-awareness, too.
Check out the hottest hotel gyms in the country.
Read the full article on DailyBurn.com.
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