by carolinaone_marketing
13. August 2014 07:04
Do you feel overworked? Overwhelmed? Maybe even a little like you're in need a major vacation. Well, if you are an American worker, you are not alone. The Center for Economic and Policy Research estimates that 25% of Americans don't take a vacation anymore, and that number jumps up to 31% if you work a minimum or low wage job. If you're like a lot of people, not taking a vacation may not have much to do with your amount of vacation time, but with the fact that you feel guilty taking any time off of work unless it's for an emergency.
Maybe you're in the middle of a huge project, or maybe you don't feel "comfortable" taking some time off. Either way, it's time to get out of that mindset and enjoy a much-deserved vacation! There are houses for rent in Charleston, SC and beach bungalows at Summerville that are calling your name. If you're feeling guilty about taking time off, you won't after you read this.
Happy workers are more productive
If you're already feeling a bit down in the dumps over problems at work, we don't need to tell you how much a bad mood can ruin your day. Different studies have shown how vacations can benefit individuals, and those effects can have trickle down benefits for your company. Imagine starting your average work week on a Monday after a normal weekend. Now imagine starting your week after you've had a three day weekend relaxing with your friends and family. Happy workers have a brighter outlook on the day, are often more productive, and can even have an easier time thinking of fresh ideas to benefit the company.
Vacations help relationships
Do you feel like you and your significant other aren't communicating as well as you used to? Can you not remember the last time you and your kids sat down and just had time to talk? You aren't the only one that's feeling stressed from your daily work load, your spouse and kids can feel just as burned out as you do by their daily routine. Some time off from work or school can help you reconnect with the people that mean the most to you in life.
Vacations are good for your health
Remember when we were talking about how a vacation can leave you feeling refreshed and ready for work? There's something about vacations that can have a transformative affect on people, and some believe that the reasons may be medical. A study on people who are at high risk for coronary heart disease found that men that failed to take annual vacations were 32% more likely to have a fatal heart attack. Stress is no joke health-wise, and a buildup of it could lead to a variety of stress-related health problems.