Need a Vacation? Me, Too. And Apparently Everyone Else in the U.S.A.

Recently (well, in May), the Center for Economic Policy and Research published a report exposing what we all fairly well feel, even if we weren't particularly sure of the details previously: we live in a "No Vacation Nation".

For those who have worked in or with professionals from other countries, that awareness is often driven home by our contemporaries who ask about the vacation situation in the U.S.A as though it were some sort of urban legend. "Is it true that you only have two or three weeks of holiday, for an entire YEAR?" they ask, in quiet fear - as though a confirmation of this feared assumption might ultimately ripple into their country's work-life balance and cause irreparable damage. Mon Dieu!

But, alas, I don't think that will be the case. It seems much of the world has its priorities straight when it comes to the importance of establishing and maintaining a valuable time separation from work that is adequate to provide a willingness to return, and long enough to allow a full disconnect from the day-to-day requirements and responsibilities that each of us shoulders in order to make our companies more profitable, more efficient, more productive, more......more. And, most countries allow this to occur multiple times in one calendar year. In fact, most of them even legislate it.

Just to illustrate the point, here's a wonderfully sad graphic from the "No Vacation Nation" report by the good folks over at the Center for Economic Policy Research (click image to enlarge):

Yet here, a flurry of recent blog and news articles over the last few summers have been reporting increasing connectedness, even during our all-to-short vacations. According to a recent AP poll, about 20% of respondents indicate taking work with them on vacation, often in the form of their laptop. 20% also called or checked into work regularly, 40% check their email, and 50% check personal messages. I imagine the numbers may be higher than that based on the quantity of my co-workers who are attached at the hip to their blackberries. Keep in mind, their survey sample population was only 1000 people.

The point? Lobby your _______ (workplace, legislators, leaders, co-workers, etc) for vacation time commensurate with the other strong economies around the world, to maintain global competitiveness. And to give yourself a break! You deserve it. I know I do.