By Published On: December 30, 2019

It’s vacation season – the annual event in which employees vie against each other for precious days off in an effort to use up all their vacation days before they expire at the end of the year. Everyone that is except my colleague Tim. With two young boys at home you’d think this would be a perfect time for him to take off and enjoy the holiday madness with his family. But when asked about it, he confessed “I don’t know how to do time off”.

He’s not alone. Over half of the American work force has unused vacation days at the end of every year resulting in a staggering 650+ million hours of lost vacation time.  Many of these individuals are under the mistaken impression that they don’t have time to take a vacation – there’s too much to do and too little time to do it. In reality, time off from work comes with some much needed health benefits – less stress, lower blood pressure, a healthier diet and more time for exercise.

In addition to the physical benefits, there’s a whole host of psychological ones as well. Those who take a vacation are reported to return to work in better moods, more productive, well rested and more creative. And if you’re lucky enough to venture out internationally, there’s a huge opportunity to expand your education by exploring different cultures, digging into ancient history, trying new foods or challenging yourself with a new adventure sport.

Why not make a resolution to enjoy some rest and relaxation in 2020 with your vacation time. Who knows – you may cross some other resolutions off your list – like losing weight or learning a new language – in the process.

About the Author: Carol Wahl

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