Value of Vacation: Why Time Off Matters to Your Workforce

Our lives move at blinding speeds. From office deadlines and commitments to personal engagements and obligations, there is a constant struggle for our time and energy. Regardless of what you wish for, you will never have more hours in a day to do what needs to get done – you have to make the time you have work. Unfortunately, with all there is to do, there remains little room to relax and enjoy life. And, in the struggle between work and leisure, work typically wins. It’s not even a fair fight. Though a Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed that 96% of people age 15 and older engage in some sort of leisure activity daily, the number one activity by far was watching television – which can hardly be considered rejuvenating for the mind and body. According to the Expedia Vacation Deprivation study conducted by Harris Poll, the U.S. and Canada both boast two of the most vacation-deprived workforces in the world.

According to the study, U.S. workers received 14 vacation days a year, although only 10 are taken on average. That’s four vacation days a year that are used for work instead of relaxation. In 2013, Americans failed to take an estimated 577,212,000 vacation days, and compared to previous Vacation Deprivation studies, that number is only growing. Workers simply don’t understand the importance of leisure and vacation.

Rested Employees Are More Productive

Although it may be difficult to take time away from your responsibilities, leisure is imperative in maintaining an innovative workforce. John Morrey, vice president and general manager of Expedia put it this way: “There are countless reasons vacation days go unused – failure to plan, worry, forgetfulness, you name it. But rested employees are more productive employees, so taking regular vacations may well help the company more than failing to do so.”

Breaking Routines Leads to Creativity and Innovation

Humans are creatures of habit. On most days, we follow the same routine. In a lot of ways, following a certain schedule can be very beneficial, as it helps us complete necessary tasks and job duties. However, the mind can get stuck in monotonous clockwork, merely going through the motions. In an interview on the health benefits of vacationing and travel, Dr. Ellen Langer, a psychology professor at Harvard University, explained that uninterrupted routines can lead to boredom, hindering creativity and mindfulness. Breaking out of these ruts and having new experiences can be transferred to the workplace and boost performance. Creativity and innovation come from not just thinking outside of the box, but literally getting outside the box.

Absence of Leisure May Cause Chronic Health Issues

If leisure leads to productivity, creativity, and innovation, the absence of leisure doesn’t just lead to the lack of these attributes – it can lead to chronic stress. According to the American Psychological Association, the number one cause of stress is job pressure, including work overload. Without taking time away from work, job stress is left untreated, which according to Psychology Today, can lead to the body’s inability to resist infection, maintain vital functions, and avoid injury. However, taking time away from work can help rejuvenate the mind and help workers cope with stress. Canadian researchers Joudrey and Wallace conducted a study that found that active leisure activities and vacationing helped alleviate job stress.

Allow Excitement in Anticipation

Allow yourself the excitement in anticipation of leisure and the ability to actually enjoy your time away from your day-to-day routines. A study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life found that the simple act of planning a vacation boosted happiness among workers. The anticipation of future time-off led to higher levels of happiness for an extended period of eight weeks prior to the vacation.

So, plan your next vacation from your busy workload. Taking time to rest and rejuvenate your body and mind may be the one link missing from becoming the leader you want to be.

Are you planning to take a vacation this year? How has leisure time affected your psyche? Let us know in the comments section below!

One Response to Value of Vacation: Why Time Off Matters to Your Workforce

  1. Jeremy June 20, 2014 at 3:47 am #

    This is totally a must read for people who are so buried within the work and their butts are glued like they were smeared by super glue on their seats. As the article would imply that “If you want to be a good leader and you want to be always on top of your game, you have to move away from your working place and get a tan from time to time,” right? I’ll give 5 stars for this article.

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