Feeling a little nervous to take time off this year? Well, you’re not alone. If you were lucky enough to even keep your job in 2020 as millions lost theirs, you may be feeling a little nervous to even step away from the desk for a break.
However, taking time off for your mental and physical well-being is always important, but particularly in a pandemic.
In a Skynova study on this exact topic, 1,000-plus working Americans were talked to about the time off they expect to take (or forgo) during the 2020 holiday season. Fifty-four percent of these workers reported feeling apprehensive about using any paid time off, even during the holidays.
Companies may have set the stage for this apprehension – nearly 30% of employers changed their holiday time-off policies to be more restrictive this year than last year, perhaps sending the message that this is not the time to pause working.
Sixty-one percent of employees took their reservations about taking time off a step further and intended to work, even on the days they already had off. Millennials, who many say are the hardest hit by the pandemic, were the most likely generation to say they’re not taking a single day off during the holidays.
The employees in the survey, however, also shared the much-needed reminder of just how important time off is, even to the job itself. The more companies restricted employee time off this year, the less happy employees became.
As it’s been proven time and again, unhappy workers produce lower quality work and can impact a company’s bottom line – not to mention the personal suffering that burnout can cause the individual.
The holiday season is often stressful enough without having to worry about things like work or the potential consequences of taking time off. Throw in the pandemic, and employees are truly approaching a very difficult potential span of “time off.”
But there is help. I personally help people recover from workplace stress and burnout. Feel free to reach out to me about managing your burnout and work-life balance. I’m always happy to chat when you need me.