UNITED STATES—A vacation is something that anyone who works is entitled to. If a company is not willing to allow a staff member or an employee to take a vacation shame on them, because it only hurts the company in the long run. A well-rested and relaxed worker is a more productive employee to begin with.

 

After hearing that overseas, many countries allow workers a minimum of eight weeks vacation time, I was baffled. That is rarely seen for many workers in the United States. If they’re lucky they might get 4-5 vacations a year. Some companies employ personal holidays or sick days, as well. I mean things happen that cannot be foreseen. Traffic jams, children getting sick, death in the family, unexpected health concerns, etc. Some employers fail to take these things into consideration.

 

Day-in and day-out they expect their employers to give it their all, at the same time they barely give anything to their employees to begin with. What world are we living in? This capitalist culture, where it’s all about money? Yes, it apparently seems to be so. The big wigs want their employees to work like slaves, while they collect all the big bucks doing little to nothing. What is more shameful is the attitude so many employers take when an employee ask for some time off. Heck, isn’t it enough that we come to work daily, work 8-12 hours shifts and make little to nothing for all our hard work?  

 

Why is it such a horrible thing for someone to have a vacation? I’ve never quite grasped this concept, but I’ve come to realize, someone who works and works, without considering taking time off to  themselves will eventually burn themselves out. Its not a question of rather it will or won’t happen because trust me I’m proof of it. I recall working nearly 18 months at one of my employers without taking any vacation time. I got to the point that I was so exhausted, I had to take a leave of absence for close to three weeks.

 

Did I miss not working during that time frame? A little, but what I learned was my mental state was a complete mess.  My body needed to recuperate from all the chaos I dealt with from the past year. Its one thing to be physically tired, but imagine being physically, mentally and spiritually exhausted all at once? Yeah, it’s something many people can’t prepare for and it takes time for the body to rejuvenate itself.


The idea of taking a week vacation to relax is not enough in my book. Why? Well, it usually takes a day or two for the person to realize they’re on vacation. By the time that happens, you might enjoy 2-3 days of your vacation before it becomes apparent you have to head back to work. That notion of having to ‘go back’ to work can plague most people because it stays on your mind. It’s like having an off day, you don’t have to work, but in your mind, you already know you have to prepare for work the next day.

 

It’s a game of psychology; the mind is working against you, so having a two-week vacation is better than one week. You have an entire week to truly enjoy yourself and relax, without the worry of knowing ‘you have to go back.’  Time does indeed fly when you’re having fun, its time for employers to share a little bit of wealth. The more employees feel they’re appreciated, the more they are willing to give to the company in return. Remember a company cannot operate without employees. What would you rather have an exhausted employee or a productive one?