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 And Mina Black could not focus on any of it.
The 36-year-old financial planner from New York took a trip there
this summer with her husband and new daughter. But for some reason,
she was wracked with guilt about everything she needed to be doing
back home: Contacting clients and prospects, putting together new
workshops - even just doing regular chores around the house.
She spent most of the trip making sure she had Wifi so she would be
connected to all her tasks back home.
That pervasive sense of guilt is familiar to many of us. Even when
it makes no logical sense - Mina Black fully deserved her vacation
time - we are still haunted by the idea that we should be doing
something else.
Indeed, 42 percent of Americans report they frequently feel guilty
about relaxing, according to a new survey by Princess Cruises. That
is up from 38 percent last year.
Most ironic of all, a third of us get stressed just at the thought
of relaxing.
Why?
"In America we have such a strong work ethic, that we have a hard
time justifying allowing ourselves to relax," says Dr. Susan
Whitbourne, a psychology professor at University of Massachusetts
Amherst (ironically, reached during her vacation on Cape Cod,
Massachusetts).
This guilt is seeping into our vacation-taking habits. The number of
vacation days Americans take has sunk to 16 days a year - an
all-time low, reports the "All Work No Pay" study by the U.S. Travel
Association. That's almost a full workweek less than historic norms.
In fact 135 million Americans have not taken any vacation at all in
the past year, according to a survey by Allianz Global Assistance.
Needless to say, this is not healthy -- either for staffers, or
employers. A few tips to get rid of the guilt and savor your
much-needed down time:
1. Admit you are not indispensable.
Part of our guilt stems from our belief that we are so critical to
the operation of our workplace. So here is a hard truth: We are not.
If we are out of the office for a few days, the sun will continue to
rise and our workplace will continue to function.
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It is bosses who need to set the example, says Whitbourne. If they
take days off, then others will, too. "It's the norm everywhere in
the world, except the U.S."
This is a trickier issue for freelancers, who get paid by the hour
or the project, and make up an increasing percentage of the American
workforce. If you have to work while away, at least compartmentalize
it, suggests Whitbourne. "Get it out of the way, and then really
enjoy your family time, because the experience will make you
better," she says.
2. Realize recharging is as important as working.
Smart companies know this. One study by software firm Intuit, for
instance, revealed that 82 percent of small business owners reported
increased job performance after taking a vacation.
3. Get creative.
Business owner David Demming of Aurora, Ohio felt 'vacation guilt'
so deeply that he did not take one for 15 whole years. Finally, he
came up with an innovative solution: Take clients on trips with him.
Now he has enjoyed jaunts for skiing and scuba diving, without
feeling a lick of guilt. His most recent getaway was for multiple
clients and their family members to 'Diver's Paradise,' the island
of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean.
(Editing by Beth Pinsker and Alan Crosby)
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