If you’ve been in the corporate world for any period of time, you’ve heard the term, “work/life balance”. It’s one of those things that every employee seeks and every employer claims to provide. So much so, extensive studies have been done on the impact of a healthy work/life balance on both employee mental health and company bottom line. So why does it still seem like such an impossible thing to achieve? It’s easy to point the finger at corporate executives who seem to, at worst, put profit over people or, at best, simply miss the mark on identifying gaps in policies, investing in adequate workforce to compensate for vacations, or creating a culture that makes employees feel at ease when taking a vacation. But often, the underlying issue is “vacation guilt”. It’s a real thing and understanding it can help both employees and employers to achieve the elusive “work/life balance”.
If an employee’s work/life balance is out of whack, that is a symptom. Often, we blame communication technology, like texts, emails, posts, notifications, and calls as a leading cause for the inability to separate work life from home life. We can’t seem to get away from work, even after hours or on vacation, which eventually leads to burnout. We are not alone.
The American Institute of Stress found that:
· 40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful
· 29% of workers felt quite a bit or extremely stressed at work
· 25% view their jobs as the number on stressor in their lives
If left untreated, employee burnout can lead to a myriad of other negative consequences. The Mayo Clinic states that employee burnout can lead to:
· Feeling drained
· Inability to cope
· Sleep disturbances
· Feeling sad, angry, irritable, or indifferent
· Increased use of drugs/alcohol
· Increase in heart disease, blood pressure, and diabetes
· Lowered immunity
Taking time away from work is vital to employee satisfaction. As a result, vacation days have become a common, and often expected benefit in employee compensation packages. According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), employee vacations result in fewer sick days, less turnover, and lower healthcare costs. So, if the benefits of vacation time is clear from both the employee and the employer perspective, why, according to a recent Pew survey, are almost half of Americans still taking less time off than they are allotted?
It's called “vacation guilt” and it’s a real thing.
Even though we know that we are allowed vacation days as part of our compensation, we are not giving ourselves permission to take vacation time. Or if we do, we are not allowing ourselves to enjoy our vacation time. Why does this happen? The guilt we experience often stems from fear.
· Fear of delegating duties
· Fear of falling behind
· Fear of being seen as less dedicated
· Fear of missing out on important events or happenings
· Fear of missing out on promotions
In reality, the chances of these occurring simply because we take our allotted (and expected) vacation time is typically pretty low and is usually pretty easy to overcome when they do. But fear prevents us from truly taking the physical and mental break that we all need to stay productive and successful at work.
So, how do we overcome these fears and avoid vacation guilt?
Change your mindset. Stop thinking of vacation time as a perk or a benefit and start thinking of it as a right. You wouldn’t feel guilty for expecting your paycheck to include the entire amount promised. Equally, you should not feel guilty for expecting the full worth of the vacation days promised. That means that not only should you take every vacation day allotted, but you should also completely separate yourself both physically and mentally from work while away. If not, you are not receiving the full value of your vacation compensation.
Understand the impact. Mark Rosekind, researcher from Alertness Solutions, found that vacation time can increase work performance by 80%. So, by giving into the fears that are causing your vacation guilt, you may actually be negatively impacting your own performance at work. Take a step back so you can take a bigger leap forward.
Prep for vacation. Some of the fears revolve around what can happen at work while you are away. If you properly prepare for your vacation, you can lessen these fears. Designate people to handle your daily duties or incoming requests. Be sure to provide them with clear instructions, proper access, and answers to questions that you anticipate may arise in your absence. Use technology to your advantage. Start by adding your upcoming vacation or PTO days to your internal email signature well before your vacation. This way, coworkers know well in advance when you will not be in the office and can plan accordingly. Your phone, calendar, email, and chat (like MS Teams) all have features that allow you to set your status to “away” and provide alternative contact information. Avoid adding wording like, “I will only be checking email sporadically”, “In case of emergency you can reach me at…”, or “I may not be accessible…” as this still invites people to leave messages in hopes that you will respond while on vacation. If it truly is an emergency, your work will know how to handle it or reach you.
Put a value on your time. While it is tempting to respond to emails, answer calls, check your phone every time you get a notification, and keep on top of your inbox while on vacation, you are taking time away from other things of value. What is the value of time spent with family? What is the value of your mental health? By forfeiting your vacation time (even when you are on vacation), you are giving your hard earned time away and giving up precious time with others that, chances are, you won’t get back.
Unplug. It’s hard, I know. But turn off the laptop and leave it at home. Don’t check emails or messages on your phone. Let calls from work go to voicemail. And for goodness sake, turn off your notifications! Instead, be present. The world will not crumble if you disconnect for a week. If you’ve prepared properly and your coworkers have learned that reaching you while on vacation is an exercise in futility, they will not only survive, they will adapt and (dare I say) thrive without you… and you want that, trust me, it’s a sign of a healthy team environment.
From the employer perspective, it is not enough to just provide vacation days as part of the employee compensation package. As leaders, it is our responsibility to foster an environment where taking vacations is encouraged.
Continually review and benchmark your vacation policies and processes to ensure you are keeping up with the changing needs of the workforce
Be diligent about understanding how working-from-home and hybrid environments can impact both the employee’s and the employer’s vision of what vacation looks like versus in-person (just because you work from home doesn’t mean you are less deserving of time away)
Promote the benefits of taking vacations in regular employee communications
Train leaders on how to create a pro-vacation culture in the workplace (avoid harping on what the employee is missing or how much of a burden it will be to others, rather show enthusiasm and positivity leading up to and after an employee vacation)
Ensure employees are not intentionally or unintentionally penalized for taking vacation (by withholding promotions or preferential projects or given inadequate time to get back up to speed when returning)
Provide staff with training and continual reminders about how to take advantage of phone, email, calendar, and chat features and best practices when going out of office
And here’s a big one… GOOD LEADERS MODEL GOOD BEHAVIOR.
According to Jennifer Moss, author of The Burnout Epidemic, vacation guilt can often be traced to leaders who don’t take vacation time themselves. Leaders that work longer hours than everyone else, take projects home every day, forfeit family time, and never seem to take vacation days (or are constantly working while on vacation) may be one of the biggest culprits of creating a culture of vacation guilt in the workplace. “Do as I say, not as I do” has never worked and never will.
Now that we all agree that taking vacation time is important, let’s wrap up with tips on how to plan the best kind. According to Forbes, psychologists and researchers have studied what kind of vacation is best for recharging for work.
· Take shorter but more frequent vacations
· Plan more passive activities (including just relaxing and doing nothing at all) rather than planning a big vacation with lots of travel and a full itinerary
· Take a break from the gym and diet
· Take a day to relax and recuperate before starting back to work and avoid meetings on your first day back (or even start with a half-day)
· Be kind to yourself and remember your vacation was your right and vital to your productivity
And I would be remiss if I didn’t suggest the ideal vacation destination, Whiskey Retreats in the Smoky Mountains. Our secluded cabins are tucked away in the woods, not far from beautiful Douglas Lake. You can unwind, unplug, and recharge. You can hike in the Smoky Mountain National Park, go fishing, and relax in your own private hot tub under the stars next to a crackling fire. And although we have great wifi and cell service, your coworkers don’t have to know that!
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