Vacation is today’s big bad wolf for Americans.
That’s right. Americans are frightened of taking time off work for vacation. A survey by the U.S. Travel Association found that four out of 10 Americans aren’t going to take all of their vacation days. Why? Because they’re not exactly enthusiastic about the work they’ll find on their desk when they return, the survey found.
“They dread the pile of work awaiting them when they return, and no one else can do what they do at the office,” according to the survey. “These people suffer from what the researchers called a ‘martyr’ complex, believing that they’re the only ones who can do their jobs.”
It’s not just fear, though. Americans are taking less vacations overall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data showed that more than 9 million people took a vacation in July 1976, but now that number is closer to 7 million for 2014. In fact, a 2012 survey by Harris Interactive Inc. found Americans leave 9.2 days of vacation unused.
Still, companies are encouraging their workers to take time off. Some have said that this is a bad idea and that there needs to be more balance between work and life instead of just vacation time.
But vacation days are something many Americans have and, in some cases, are willing to use.
Here are seven ways vacation can be beneficial for you:
Better physical health
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