Columnist poses question of why Americans don’t take vacations
Americans are vacation-deprived when it comes to the rest of the world, but even worse: a new study shows that many aren’t taking their meager amount of time off.
“A poll by Reuters/Ipsos shows that only 57 percent of Americans take all of their allotted vacation time, which ranks the US toward the bottom of the poll,” writes Carl Unger in Smarter Travel.
It’s generally accepted that Americans, who receive around 14 days annually, leave three or four days on the table.
The French, who generally receive the most vacation time (30 days plus holidays), also take the most: 87 percent use all of their vacation days. In Argentina, Britain, Hungary, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Germany, 75 percent or more take their full allotment.
“Not only do Americans skimp on the time off, but the rise of smartphones, laptops, and Wi-Fi has spawned a new trend: tethered vacations. I’d wager that nearly everyone reading this entry (including me) has taken a work call or email while out of the office, or vacationed with someone who did,” Unger says.
So here’s my question: Why don’t more Americans take their vacation time?
One answer is that the economy sure doesn’t help. Unemployment is stubbornly high, and many workers may feel vulnerable to a layoff if they appear to be slacking.
“Of course, the mere idea of a vacation as "slacking" may be closer to the actual reason. Read the questions from a Careerbuilder Q&A about vacation time, and a theme emerges:
• How do I shake the guilt that comes with taking a vacation?
• I’m burned-out but my boss says now is not a good time for me to be out of the office. Whatshould I do?
• I want to make myself accessible while I’m away, but only for emergencies. What should I do?
“If you ask me, this is just sad. If we’re truly a nation of dignified, hard workers, why on earth should we feel guilty about taking time off? I know: we shouldn’t. We earn the time we get, and we should take it, even if it’s just to sit in the yard or take the family to a museum.
By David Wilkening
David
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