Are You Due for a Vacation?

It is known that Americans get less vacation time than citizens of other countries. For example, in Europe, on average, they get 30 days of paid vacation per year. Can you imagine?

And the majority of Americans don’t even take their full two weeks.

Is it that some of us fear our bosses won’t value us if we do? Is it a lack of savings? Or maybe we are concerned that if we get away and like it, we might not want to come back.

Whatever the reason, sometimes we just need an extra nudge to push us out of our daily routines and realize it is time to put fun first.

So here is a checklist to see if you are overdue for a vacation:

• You’ve accumulated vacation days at work and don’t have plans for them.
• You’ve been dreaming of a getaway but it never seems to be a good time.
• You’ve stopped doing things you enjoy just for yourself.
• You haven’t taken a honeymoon and the wedding was over a year ago.
• You haven’t gone on a getaway for fun in over six months.
• You feel disconnected from your significant other and want to reconnect.
• You are burnt out at work.
• You are contemplating changing jobs.
• You find yourself at a crossroads and you are searching for clarity.
• You just went through a break up.
• You are sick of your sedentary lifestyle.
• You just went somewhere and you are itching for another escape.

If any of these bullets ring true to you, it’s time to start planning a trip.

If you cannot spare the days off work or you just don’t have the funds for a big vacation – there are ways around your dilemma. A getaway does not have to be international or even more than a weekend. To reap the fundamental benefits of travel, a trip just needs to get you out of your everyday surroundings. With that in mind, stay-cations are great fun as are short road trips.

Hey so, can you think of any other bullets to go on the checklist?

Post inspired by this article on thecultureist.com: The Amount of Vacation Time Americans Are Really Taking