Vacation: the Rx for mental & physical health: by taking advantage of your vacation time you eliminate burnout, which in turn makes you a more productive individual

Jet, June 25, 2007 by Marti Parham

The summer months are generally the time that most people block out days in their busy work schedules to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation. But according to a survey sponsored by the Hudson employment firm, more than one-third of American workers fail to max out their annual vacation days before the end of the year.

Being a dedicated employee has its benefits; however, by not taking that allotted time off, you could be hurting yourself mentally as well as physically.

"When people don't take time off from their work, they are overtaxed in terms of functioning," explains Baltimore psychoanalyst Dr. Marilyn Martin. "You get to a level of stress where you are no longer productive, become burned out and are not able to function at your highest level.

"What we know is that when you are really stressed, it effects your immune system and you're less likely to be healthy."

For many employees the time to take a vacation is never right, no matter what. Days get pushed back further and further until it's too late, and, in some cases, the opportunity is missed forever.

"I really do feel strongly about employees taking vacation time," says Elizabeth Stroud, vice president of human resource management at Howard University. "I think there is a loss both personally and to the organization when a person fails to take leave."

The benefits of a vacation are plentiful. The time away from the stress of work leaves room for rejuvenation, rest, embarking on new experiences, reestablishing relationships with friends and family, clearing your mind, recharging creative juices and just being good to yourself.

Martin, author of Saving Our Last Nerve: The Black Woman's Path to Mental Health, says that Blacks often opt out of vacations because of feeling a sense of guilt.

"The 'Black Tax' that we have to work twice as hard as White people to be successful is a form of guilt," she notes. "There are Black people who work themselves to death because they feel guilty about this."

Once the feeling of guilt has subsided, put your energy into taking some time off. Experts recommend that you get away for two weeks or a minimum of live consecutive days, but Martin and Stroud both believe that long weekends or "mini-vacations" throughout the year are just as beneficial.

"If you really know that two weeks is unrealistic, then do what you know will work for your environment," insists Martin. "Either do mini-vacations or a week, taking into account what your work responsibilities are."

What You Should Do At The Office Before You Take Vacation:

* Sort out what needs to be done before you leave versus what can be postponed until your return.

* Change your voice message and create an out-of-office e-mail reply that lets people know your return date.

* Have a back-up person who can take care of emergency issues while you're gone.

* Leave a contact number with your back-up person to be used for extreme emergencies only.