Martyna Inkielman has penned this interesting and sobering guest post regarding the new way people work while on vacation.
Vacation is the best time of the year, right? It’s the time for a complete reset when the only thing you worry about is whether you’d like to lay on the beach or go sightseeing. Well, it turns out that’s not the case anymore. Why? We first feel guilty for taking a break, so we take our laptops as travel buddies. Then, feel bad for getting sucked into checking texts or email instead of catching some rays.
Passport photo online, a service that allows you to take a passport photo at home, decided to create a study about vacationing with a laptop. What causes people’s urge to take a laptop on their vacation? And how exactly do people work during their trip?
The Vacation Dilemma
In the last 20 years, Americans have shortened their vacation time by 6 days. Moreover, 93% of Americans have postponed or even cancelled their vacation because of work at least once! One might wonder – is it really that bad? What if you really like your job and don’t want to go on a 20-day vacation like Europeans do?
The problem is, if you keep your foot on the gas and subject yourself to a continuous workload, your brain will eventually push back. Lack of vacation causes less productivity and bigger problems with tasks that you once found easy – and who would want that? Still, people hesitate to take that time off.
Hesitations in Taking Time Off
Many people don’t want to go on vacation. The number one reason to stay at work instead of going on vacation is “to stay on top of important projects and/or deadlines” at 20%. It’s closely followed by ensuring job security and career advancement opportunities (17%) and showing dedication (16%).
So, in short, it seems like Americans consider staying at work all year long the most efficient key to success. Is it really true, though? Not according to the US Travel Association!
According to its study on time off and vacation usage, professionals who take <10 days of paid time off have a 34.6% chance of receiving a raise or bonus. On the other hand, those who take 10+ days off have a 65.4% chance. Put another way, you’re 30.8% more likely to get a raise if you take 11 or more days of PTO. Yes, you read that right! Going on vacation can actually benefit your career.
Work on Vacation: A Growing Trend
It turns out that when people do go on vacation, they usually bring their laptops along – only 12% never do so. More than 50% of those who take their laptops check their emails every day – that’s a lot, right?
Moreover, 92% of Americans admit that they took part in a work meeting at least once during their last vacation.
The question is, will this kind of vacation allow you to rest? Work-related activity on vacation doesn’t bring many benefits. Yes, you’ll be able to show your dedication to your job. But – working even for just one hour daily can make you 43% more likely to have a problem remembering your vacation, according to a study from the University of Texas and vacation rental site HomeAway. That means that you won’t feel well-rested after going back to work.
The right way to use your laptop on vacation
Prioritization, communication, and boundary-setting are all key to truly benefiting from a well-deserved vacation. Before you head off, consider speaking with your team to delegate tasks, clarify expectations, and set a plan for checking in. You might be surprised at how much your coworkers are willing to support you in your time off.
During your vacation, if you must check your emails, consider setting a specific time each day for this purpose and sticking to it. This way, you are less likely to spend the whole day thinking about work, and you’ll be able to focus on your vacation.
Don’t forget to consider the data. It’s important to maintain a work-life balance. Remember, data shows that taking time off actually increases your chances of receiving a raise or bonus and reduces the risk of burnout.
Martyna Inkielman is a content writer at PhotoAiD – a service that allows you to take a passport photo at home. She enjoys writing about traveling and social media. In her free time, Martyna can be found exploring new cuisines, painting, or taking analog photos.