A guilt-free break from work is needed for health - and productivity
Amy Wu says it's vital for people to take a holiday, even though job-security fears and a 24/7 work culture stop many from doing so
It took a while to get over the guilt of taking a holiday. "Don't be silly," a good friend, of all ethnicities, an Italian, told me. "Life is short, you need to recharge." It's easy for Italians to say that; they are legally entitled to 30 paid days off a year.
While dithering, I painstakingly reminded myself that I was entitled to a holiday after a marathon work season, burning the midnight oil at weekends.
When my sister suggested we take a week-long vacation, I was still undecided. In an uncertain US economy, who has time for a vacation? Who even has time for lunch? A growing number of my colleagues and I have been eating at our desks, believing that means we are more productive.
I am far from alone in fearing a holiday commitment. Since the economy went south in 2008, I know very few Americans who feel secure enough to take a break, given the very real possibility that, when they returned, their job description would have been changed, their hours shortened, or their position swiftly filled. As one boss reminded me, "no one is irreplaceable".
The US is the only developed country without a single legally required paid vacation day. One in four Americans does not have a single paid day off, according to the Centre for Economic Policy and Research.
Most companies have been slow to address the issue, if they have done so at all. In my 20 years of working, the majority of companies have granted 10 days of paid vacation, with an additional five days after five years of service. Most do not allow the days to be rolled over to the next financial year.
Perhaps foolishly, I thought my work-life balance would improve once I relocated back to the US from Hong Kong in 2013. With a work culture that includes marathon hours and the unspoken rule of not leaving one's desk before the boss, Hong Kong's 17 public holidays and the three weeks of paid vacation are a façade to the workaholic culture, especially since the Hong Kong government has been unwilling to legislate for standard working hours. But at least in that city, most of my colleagues and I did take public holidays off.
Back in the US, I have observed that even academia, traditionally known for flexible hours, is adopting the 24/7 corporate work culture.
With the US economy showing signs of recovery, it would be productive for government officials and business leaders to remember the benefits of taking a break. Holidays should be embraced, not feared, and associated with greater productivity.
One Ernst & Young internal study of its employees showed that, for each 10 extra hours of vacation people took, their year-end performance ratings rose 8 per cent. Those who took a holiday were less likely to burn out and leave. They are also inclined to spend more, thus fuelling the economy.
So finally, after much hesitation I said yes to the holiday - a cruise - with my sister. At sea, with no connection to the outside world, it took a day or so for me to accept that this was OK and, more than that, necessary for my sanity.
Back on dry land, I turned on the phone and jumped back into the fray, but much more relaxed and recharged. Next time, I won't hesitate.
