More and more often I see folks denying themselves their paid vacation time, especially the younger folks. And there are others who go on vacation but log on each day, and basically work, just from another location. Does this sound right?

No, no, and no.

Reasons I’ve heard and felt myself at times for not going on vacation or checking in frequently include:

• Worried about the amount of work and stress involved before, during and after their absence
• Concerns of someone else taking over their project/role
• Feeling like they must check-in regularly in case there’s an urgent message
• Being unsure if the rest of the team can handle his/her work

All of this…can cause anxiety, and the inability to relax and chill out when it’s needed, so one doesn’t burn out from the amount of work. Instead folks need to realize that vacation will help people recharge in order to be more productive in the long run. It allows a better balance health and mental wellness as well.

What kind of work are you going to be able to do when you’re so burnt out you can barely focus on your powerpoint slides or excel spreadsheet? Or the presentation you need to prepare?

If you can’t afford (time-wise) a week or two off from work, consider a long weekend or mental health day to reboot. It’s less time and will feel less stressful.

And if you can’t trust your team, there’s another fundamental issue there — but we won’t get into that now.

The best strategy is letting go and trusting the process. And knowing that you are valued as an employee, and when you get back, the work will still be there for you to kick ass on.

#radiatedaily

image source – pixabay