There’s a reason why vacations feel so good, and it’s that they are good for us in so many different ways. On a health level, vacations are like preventive medicine, allowing you to de-stress your body and mind before they blow.

"Workplace stress can take its toll. In order to maintain a strong state of mental health, the human body needs a release and a source of replenishment," says Dr. Dorothy Cantor, president of the American Psychological Foundation. “An ideal vacation should eliminate stress, encourage relaxation and provide opportunities for rejuvenation, making the benefits of the experience immeasurable."

From a career perspective, while many employees fear taking a vacation will set them back, the opposite is actually true. Vacations are necessary for you to be productive and efficient at work. In fact, according to a study by the Families and Work Institute, employees who are overworked (i.e., those who do NOT take vacations) are more likely to:

• Make mistakes
• Be angry at their employers and colleagues who don’t work as hard
• Have higher stress levels
• Feel symptoms of clinical depression
• Neglect themselves and report poor health

Therefore, take a vacation!