The benefits of vacation time and how you should use it

Have you noticed yourself daydreaming about sunbathing on a tropical beach or conquering a particularly hard ski slope? Then, it might be time for you to take a vacation in real life. Did you know that vacation time has a whole lot of benefits for your mental and physical health? Not only that, but vacationing can also help you perform better professionally.

What is vacation time?

Vacation time is paid time off from work that you can use to take a long break. Even if you don't travel and spend your vacation days at home, it will allow you to truly disconnect from work for a while before returning to the office. Vacation time allows you to take a planned vacation and is not meant to be used for sick leave or emergencies.

What’s the importance of vacation time?

Did you know that a majority of employees don’t use the Paid Time Off (PTO) days their employer offers? In fact, Monster found through a poll that 70% of employees have avoided requesting PTO from their employers. If you are used to never taking vacation days in your career, you may not be aware of all the benefits of vacation time:

• Taking time away from work helps you reduce depression and anxiety.
• Vacations are great stress relievers for everyone.
• Vacationing gives you a lot of mental health benefits that make you more productive, patient, and creative upon returning to work.
• Vacations relax your mind, helping you think outside of the box at work after returning.
• Taking a vacation from work can reduce your risk of a heart attack.
• Vacations are known to reduce back pain.

Are you aware of the laws about vacation days?

It is surprising that there are no federal or state laws that require paid or unpaid vacation for all workers in the US. However, there are some laws around paid leave that you should be aware of:

• Certain states require employers to offer paid sick leave.
• You have the right to paid time off for voting in some states.
• In some states, employees are required to be given paid time off for jury duty.
• Some employers are required to give you up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave when a new child arrives, medical leave, or for taking care of a seriously ill immediate family member.

How should you use your vacation time?

Resume Mansion’s career experts suggest that you take all your vacation days each year. If you are planning on saving up a year's worth of vacation days for a long vacation the following year, you should plan for it carefully. It may be difficult for you to go an entire year without taking any vacation days while saving them. Another option you have is to cash out your unused vacation days if your employer facilitates that. Although we can’t tell you exactly how many vacation days to take per year or how you must spend your vacation days, we can certainly advise you on how to make the most of your time away from work. If your employer has made it impossible for you to take PTO, consider the possibility that you are working in a toxic workplace.