What Successful People Know About Vacation Time

Embrace This Trend: Taking Time Off Reaps Benefits, Rewards

Summertime means it’s time to plan that warm-weather getaway.

But if you're the majority of Americans, you will decide to skip a trip this year in favor of staying in the office to show dedication to your company.

Is this your mentality? If so, you’re not alone. Experts point to Americans being more overworked than ever — with a 40-year high of unused vacation days.

But just because many are not embracing the benefit of time off, doesn’t mean you need to follow the trend. Research suggests successful people make a habit of leaving the office, enjoying much more than a tan upon their return:

• High levels of productivity
• Decreases in burnout
• Mental and physical health boosts

They see the long-term vision and refuse to say no to our nation’s all-work-no-play trend. Here is what they know:

• Vacations are good for the brain. According to an Inc. Magazine article, recharging via time off is essential to working smarter. You don’t always have to book a full one-week trip either to reap the benefits; try short vacations on a more frequent basis or a day in the middle of the week to run errands.

• Vacations halt long- and short-term stress. As you escape town, most of the time the stress melts away. But experts, like a psychologist quoted in Forbes, suggest relaxation sets the tone for our bodies to better handle stress not only on the vacation, but in the future. Opting for a vacation could set you up to better handle everything from day-to-day demands to a major crisis at work.

• Vacations make you a better professional. If you get passed the irony of this tip, you’ll see that statistics show people who take full advantage of vacation time are more motivated to reach a professional goal, more creative and less tense.

So, go ahead and take that vacation. And resist the temptation to check emails at the beach.

You just might come up with that next brilliant idea after you return recharged, less stressed and ready to take on the world.