If I offered you a week of paid vacation, would you take it?
If I offered you hundreds of dollars of cash, no strings attached, would you thank me and run the other direction?
If you are like me, you are screaming, “hell, yes!” to both of those questions.
However, the truth is that while almost three quarters of Americans get paid vacation time, over half leave 7 days or more unused every year, essentially, kissing away the cash. Texans and other southerners are less likely to take a trip than our northern counterparts and Generation X (that’s me!) are the least likely of any other age-cohort to embrace fun in the sun!
While handing over money to employers is unsettling, the bigger tragedy is the loss of quality time with loved ones.
So, why are many of you burning the candle at both ends and passing up a chance to slow down and be present with your family?
Americans cite “fear” as the main reason for not taking their allotted time off.
Fear that others will be left to pick up the slack, leaving work relationships strained. We wear the reputation of ‘workaholic’ with a sick pride and we fear that others will think we are lazy if we spent too much time at home.
Fear that there will be too much to do when we return. If you have ever turned off your phone for a day, you will know what it is like to be overwhelmed by unread messages in your inbox. There is no rest when the number in the little red bubble is creeping up with each passing moment.
Fear that we will need our banked time if something terrible happens. We live in a world that has us believe the next disaster is right around the corner.
Fear that we will need the extra payout to augment our retirement fund that is not growing fast enough in this dismal economy.
Fear that others won’t be able to cope when we are gone or perhaps a hidden fear that others will do our job better than we do. Presently, job security is scarce for Americans and being visible at work provides a sense of safety, real or imagined.
With stress linked to almost every chronic health condition including weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer, isn’t it time you slowed down?
Your life may depend on it!
Need guidance & support? Check out the EWC Membership—a safe space for women to access credible wellness resources & support to reclaim health and vita
lity as they become fully present for the memory-making moments in life.