Labor Day: Why Taking Time Off is So Important

According to Project Time Off, 55% of Americans did not use all of their paid vacation time in 2015. Does that mean we’re getting more done? No. Just the opposite. Failure to take time off decrease productivity and creativity. It’s bad for your health and your relationships. It is even bad for the entire country, hurting the economy. Taking time off helps your recharge, so you can do what you do better. It’s necessary for your physical health and replenishes the spirit. And, it’s not something you can put off until later. Taking time off is something you have to practice on a regular basis to get the maximum benefits.

Our Brains Need to Recover

Getting away from stress and demands faced at work is not a luxury. Your brain needs recovery time just like your muscles need recovery time after a workout. If you keep pushing, your brain becomes less efficient and less capable. Give it the proper recovery and it will perform even better than before.

If productivity and creativity are truly important to you, you need to start looking at time off as a necessity.

Time Off is Necessary for Your Health

Besides messing up your brain, failing to take time off can be hazardous to your physical health in ways you might not imagine. A study published in 2014 found that high job strain increases the risk developing Type 2 Diabetes by 45%. Other health problems that can be caused by work-related stress include:

  • Lowered immunity – you catch things easier
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Poor decision making
  • Impaired judgement
  • Impaired self-control
  • Increased risk of accidents and injuries

When you take time off, everyone benefits. It’s good for you, good for your employer, and of course for your family. Is Stress Killing You?

Avatar About Sandra Dalton

With a background as a paralegal, focusing on criminal defense and civil rights, Sandra Dalton launched her freelance writing career in 2000 with a weekly column on Freedom for Suite 101 and pro bono projects for individuals and organizations supporting causes close to her heart. One of her first projects was for the Police Compliant Center writing about police misconduct. Sandra’s legal writing quickly expanded to include personal injury, animal welfare, criminal defense, disability discrimination, family law and much more.