Use Your Vacation Time - You Deserve It!

By the Crothers Consulting Team
Leaders Need to Set the Example for Recharging and Unplugging
It’s summertime, and you have some vacation/PTO just waiting to be used. You’ve earned it, in more ways than one! And yet, one in four professionals say they never, or rarely ever, take all their vacation days according to a Deloitte study on burnout.  We as leaders need to role model taking vacation as well as encourage, or even mandate, that employees take vacation as well. As today's headlines exclaim, burnout levels are at an all-time high, so finding time to re-charge is critical.

Not only is vacation a paid benefit, in most cases, but several studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and psychological health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals.

Additional benefits of taking vacations are:

• Lowered risk of heart attacks
• Better family relations
• Better mental health
• Greater feeling of well-being
• Increased mental power
• Decreased burnout

 
Just planning a vacation has been proven to increase well-being for up to 8 weeks prior to it happening (just by having that date on the calendar makes a difference).  With all those great reasons for taking a break, why do people not take what they deserve? It all comes down to 3 issues. Let’s break these down and remove the obstacles to taking the time to relax and recharge.

Guilt: Time off is a benefit that was given to you. You wouldn’t refuse your paycheck, would you?

Overload: Worried about having too much work upon your return?

• Delegate, delegate, delegate.
• Plan your re-entry before you leave. Know who will be doing what and which will be your priorities upon your return.
• Start reminding people 2-3 weeks in advance that you will not be around. Then turn on “out of office” and leave a contact person for emergencies.
• Hold your boundaries. People will respect them, as you would theirs.
• And if there is more work upon your return, know you’ll be mentally sharper and better able to emotionally cope once you’ve taken the time to de-stress.

Fear: Sometimes people worry that they will miss out on something important or they will be replaced if they are gone.  Make sure you get the appropriate permissions prior to your leaving, and then let it go. I even came back to a promotion, not once, but twice after a vacation. It made me realize that it is everything I did up to that point that mattered, not the one week I wasn’t there.

We recommend you really unplug to get the maximum benefits. A survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 21% of U.S. adults felt stressed during their time off and 28% worked more than they thought they would on vacation, this can have detrimental effects! Part of your vacation planning should be how you will unplug and really let go.

• You may want to choose a vacation location that does not have Wi-Fi or has limited use of it.
• Recognize that it can be daunting to be shut off from your information sources. If you have never tried unplugging before, start being away from your phone on weekends or evenings prior to the vacation to get used to being away from it. Start small and gradually increase the time.
• If needed, allow yourself an hour a day to check emails while on vacation. Choose a time that will be best for all parties and stick to your one-hour commitment.
• If there is an emergency, try to quickly find someone else in the office who can handle it until your return.  Showing that you trust and can empower others is a great way to grow not only their leadership, but your own.

Vacation is provided for a reason: It’s good for everyone. Use yours in and for good health, and set a positive example for your team to do the same!