Have you taken a vacation recently? If you’re like too many Americans, you’re giving up many of the precious vacation days you’ve rightfully earned, and it’s impacting your health and your beauty.A survey from the U.S. Travel Association found that 41 percent of us with jobs that offer vacation days don’t plan to use all our paid time off this year. That’s a whopping 430 million days of unused paid vacation per year! The website Vox reports that in the eary 80s about 80 percent of workers once took an annual weeklong vacation. Now, as you can see in their graphic below, just 56 percent do.
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Why? Because Americans are work martyrs. Many of us are perfectionists, worrying that our jobs won’t be done correctly while we’re out. Others stress about job security, thinking they’ll be seen as lazy or replacable. Still others think their bosses don’t want them to. We’re not belittling any of these problems—and the last two are especially troubling—but we we still need to sound off in the name of your health and beauty.You NEED vacations. When you take a vacation, you return happier, revived and more relaxed.
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When you plan a vacation you’ll be happier during all those months and weeks leading up to the vacation, because you’re anticipating your upcoming holiday (perhaps that’s why the minute some of us end one vacation we start secretly planning our next).That week vacation you take over the holidays? It probably won’t have the same effect. The data show that only a very relaxed holiday will make you feel happier after you return—and for many, a week spent traveling to see family members is definitely not that.
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Now, vacations cost money, and most of us only have so much money to go around. With the extra cash you do have, spend it on experiences, not possessions. Research shows that this will make—and keep—you happy.When we’re happy and relaxed, it shows up on our face. Our smile is brighter, our eyes clearer (what dark circles?) and our skin behaves better.So if you’re hoarding vacation days, use them. If you’re saving your cash, take a staycation and spend as much time as possible outdoors. Your well-being—and your beauty—will thank you.But before you go, read these: 11 Beauty Products That’ll Solve All Your Travel ProblemsWhen You’re Traveling, What’s Gross…and What’s Dangerous?Flattering Travel Outfits by Body Type
