Who Needs Vacation Time? (Hint: You)

August 4, 2018

The majority of US professionals do not use all their allotted vacation days. And when they do take time off, they still don’t unplug fully from work.

Disconnecting from work can be tough—even when lying on a beach in another country. According to a new LinkedIn survey, 70% of professionals admit that even when they do take a vacation, they don’t fully break away from their work. The No. 1 reason? The majority (56%) of survey respondents said they don’t want to fall behind.

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The survey, conducted in June 2018, included 2169 US adults age 18 and older who were working in either permanent full-time positions or were full-time self-employed/freelance. Here are some of the key findings.

Vacation Days? Who Needs ‘Em?

Full-time workers are usually given a set number of paid days off each year, yet more than half of the working population doesn’t take advantage of them. The majority (51%) of survey respondents admit they did not use all their allotted vacation days last year.

If you’re guilty of this, it’s time to loosen that tight grip on your veterinary practice. Taking a step back now and then and disconnecting completely from work offers a plethora of benefits.

According to the survey, when people don’t take vacation, they feel overwhelmed (58%) and disorganized (21%). But when they return, the No. 1 feeling they report? Refreshed.

Out of the Office, But Still in Touch

It’s no wonder people can’t fully disengage from work if they are expecting someone to contact them with problems or questions while they are away. More than two-thirds (67%) of survey respondents said they would still contact a colleague or employee even though they knew that person was on vacation.

Don’t give someone any need to call you. Set yourself up for success before you head off to your vacation destination, even if that destination is your own backyard. Give yourself a few days before your vacation to make sure you have people covering your shifts at the clinic or someone in charge of any last-minute scheduling changes for your veterinary staff. If possible, you should also give yourself a few days after your vacation to catch up with missed emails or any issues that may have arisen while you were away.

Vacation Time Is for Side Hustles and Passions

More than 70% of survey respondents said they have a side hustle outside their primary job, and 40% of those individuals are using their vacation time to work on them.

Don’t have any family vacations or group trips on the horizon? Explore your passion on your days off instead. Maybe you want to volunteer at a local animal shelter or map out a plan for your 5-year goal of opening your own veterinary clinic. Whatever it may be, more and more professionals like you are using their vacation time to pursue their dreams.