“I don’t have time for a vacation.”

“I don’t have enough play money to go on a trip.”

“I’ll get behind on work if I travel.”

What excuses have you used for avoiding taking a vacation? I’ve heard many of these (and have used them myself!). The truth, however, is that taking the occasional vacation is not only good for your mental and emotional wellbeing, it can have positive long-term effects on your finances.

Let’s dive into a few reasons why taking a vacation is SO necessary:

1. Vacationing allows you to rejuvenate

You can’t produce your best work when you’re completely stressed all the time. In fact, working too much and skipping vacation opportunities could lead to serious health consequences. According to Inc.com, “A host of studies have highlighted the cardiovascular health benefits of taking a vacation. In one, men at risk for heart disease who skipped vacations for five consecutive years were 30 percent more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who took at least a week off each year.”

2. Travel ups your productivity

Working endlessly without a break does NOT allow you to do you best work. Burning the midnight oil only makes it more difficult to concentrate and accomplish tasks quickly. It’s necessary to take breaks and get away from it all for a while. When you return, you’ll feel refreshed, more focused, and better equipped to tackle daunting problems.

3. Taking time off may help you get a raise

This sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but taking a little R&R time may actually help you get a raise. Studies show that workers who take more time off consistently receive better scores on their end-of-the-year performance reviews. In fact, Ernst & Young conducted an internal study of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation time employees took, their year-end performance ratings improved by 8 percent!

4. Vacation time promotes innovation

Travel helps you relax, gives you the opportunity to step back and look at the big picture, and allows you to problem-solve on the fly. For a little while, you’re out of your normal routine and you’re forced to do things a little differently, whether that means trying different food, figuring out how to get somewhere, or simply coming up with ways to keep yourself (or your family) entertained. It’s healthy to challenge your brain like this every once in a while, and that kind of creative thinking can cross over into the workplace.

 

Make yourself a more promotion-worthy, healthy, and creative employee–travel! You don’t have to do anything extravagant; a simple trip to a national park or a getaway to a lakeside cabin can work just as well as a trip to Disney World.

Have you experienced other benefits of travel? I’d love to hear about them.

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