Vacation season is upon us, calling for some well-deserved relaxation. You know the drill — exotic beach getaways, weekend trips to a cabin, or chilled-out staycations. But this time of celebration comes with one huge caveat: most of us suck at taking vacation.

Whether you’re under pressure to meet deadlines, or still swept up in hustle culture, not everyone looks forward to time off. Over half (54%) of American workers feel guilty about taking vacation. In fact, our apprehension is so strong that 55% of paid vacation days went unused in the U.S. last year.

Even when we take vacation, most of us don’t do it right. A staggering 70% of Americans admit to checking in with work while on vacation — and 11% do so several times each day they're off.

At TDL, we don’t just talk the talk: we’re one of the few Canadian companies that offer unlimited time off. We know vacation is a necessary investment for everyone, and that if you're not logged off, you’re not doing it right.

But we know that's easier said than done. So today, we’re diving into the benefits of taking time off and sharing some evidence-based tips for how you can better disconnect — during your PTO and beyond. 

Until next time,
Sarah and the vacation-savvy team @ TDL

Taking a break from work comes with a myriad of benefits, including improvements to:

+ Our outlook on life. Time off refreshes our view of the world and ourselves. Just a single day of vacation gives us a better perspective on life and makes us more motivated to achieve our goals.

+ Our physical health. In a 9-year study of 12,000 middle-aged men, annual vacation was correlated with a reduced risk of death from all causes, including heart attacks.

+ Our neuroplasticity. Experiencing different environments — like traveling to a new country — can increase our cognitive flexibility. By engaging in foreign settings, we get better at making connections and increasing our depth of thought.

+ Our job performance. Going too long without a vacation makes us more prone to mistakes at work and increases our resentment toward co-workers. But the kind of mental break we get on vacation increases our productivity, replenishes our attention, and encourages our creativity.