Crush Your Time Off!

Quick question: Would you rather get a vacation or a raise?

In a recent survey, more than one-third of employees said they'd prefer days full of mai tais and palm trees over a pay bump. So it seems totally bonkers that there are hundreds of thousands of unused vacation days every year. Unacceptable! Stacks of studies show that taking vacations, whether you go way off the grid or camp out on your couch, can improve your health, mood, creativity and productivity. So whip out your calendar, block off some me-time and get ready to feel amazing.

- Lisa freedman

MAKE YOUR VACATION DREAMS A REALITY

First, Feel Entitled

Nearly 50 percent of millennials think that sacrificing their breaks will impress their bosses. News flash: Being a martyr is rarely a good look. Never assume your boss is anti-vacation (she may even be impressed with your ability to plan an awesome trip). “They might not be talking about it, but we find that managers are overwhelmingly supportive of vacation time for their teams,” says Katie Denis, senior program director at Project: Time Off. Supervisors want a positive work environment and to avoid staff burnout, and know that vacays help with both. Another tactic: Remember that your days off are part of your compensation. You’ve earned them, so don’t give back your benefits.

Coordinate with your S.O.

Constantly putting work before the person who hears all about it (all the time) means fewer opportunities to build positive memories together, warns Meg Batterson, a psychotherapist and relationship counselor. There’s never a “perfect” time to get away, and synchronizing two schedules is harder than dealing with one, but it is doable. Make a point to sit down and look at your calendars – especially at pivotal moments, like when one of you gets a new job or at the start of the summer – and block off some dates, even if they’re months away.

Consider A Long Weekend