Your New Year’s Resolution: Take More Mini-Vacations!

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“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott

Ponder this…

We’re deep into the winter holiday season, and if you’re like me, your life has been go-go-go for the last few weeks. It’s a stressful time of year, and all those expectations can take a toll on your well-being, depleting your physical resources and cognitive capacities. And that’s not just true of the holiday season; your body and mind need rest all year round!

If you’re still trying to come up with a New Year’s resolution, may I suggest adding a mini-vacation or two to your schedule??

Research emphatically shows that vacations improve our physical and mental health, while also boosting our performance at work. An Ernst & Young study showed that for every additional 10 hours of vacation time that employees took, their year-end performance improved by 8%.?

Despite this fact, nearly half of U.S. workers take less time off than their job allows, leaving an average of 9.5 days of paid time off (PTO) on the table. Even if you aren’t taking all of your PTO, taking mini-vacations throughout the year can improve your overall well-being.

Why aren’t employees taking enough vacation??

Being on vacation feels good and it's good for us, so why don’t we use the PTO we've earned??

The expense and logistics involved in a long trip can be daunting, but it turns out that many workers don’t take extended time off from the office because the stress it causes doesn’t seem worth it. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey of over 5,900 U.S. workers found the following:

• 49% of participants indicated they worried they might fall behind at work.
• 43% said they felt badly about their co-workers taking on more work.
• Nearly 20% cited concerns that taking more vacation time might hurt their chances of job advancement.
• 16% worried they might risk losing their job.

No wonder most people don't use all their vacation time!?

Try a mini-vacation

The good news is that it's not necessary to take a long vacation to get many of the benefits. In fact, taking shorter breaks throughout the year may actually be more beneficial for your mental well-being and performance than taking one long vacation.

Consider this research. Vacations are proven to increase positive emotions, but that boost is pretty short-lived. However, the time you spend anticipating your trip provides you with an extended period of increased happiness. When you take shorter trips more often, there are more opportunities to boost your mood. With burnout still at alarmingly high levels, we need those restorative benefits more than ever.?

Leaders can help their teams to become more comfortable taking time off by modeling the behavior themselves. If you say to your team members, "It's no problem, take the week off," but you won't do the same, your team members will likely be reluctant to take vacation time and feel guilty if they do. What you say is less important than what you do. You can ensure you don't unintentionally increase job stress and burnout on your team by taking some breaks of your own.

Maximizing your time off?

As you plan your next long weekend or mini-vacation, remember not to undermine the benefits by letting work slip in. Over half (52 percent) of U.S. employees work while on vacation. Don’t let that be you. Intentionally detach from work as fully as possible, and choose a destination that allows you to feel as removed from your regular routine as possible. You can maximize the benefits by limiting the time you spend doing work-like activities, like driving, using a computer, or completing errands.

The benefits of short recharges are undeniable, so make it a priority to get away in the new year. Look at your calendar now, and pick a few long weekends in the next quarter or two. You'll have something to look forward to and can return to work restored, which will benefit both you and your team.

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