There’s nothing quite like taking time off. Whether you go on a beach holiday, ski trip, city break or even a staycation, spending time away from the stresses of daily life can do wonders for you.
But new research has revealed more than half of the population (52%) have left over holiday allowance, the majority of which (64%) have ended up losing days completely.
The poll, commissioned by British Airways, showed that Brits lose on average four days per year - that’s almost a week of valuable vacation time being squandered.
When asked why they do not take all of their annual leave, more than half (49%) said they were too busy at work (49%), followed by almost a fifth (16%) feeling guilty for using all their holiday allowance each year. This might explain why more than two-thirds (69%) of Brits did not take a two week holiday at all last year.
Commenting on the findings, Nick Hewer, former advisor on The Apprentice, said: “As an employer, a happy work force is key to having a happy, and most importantly, a successful business. Employees need time off work to unwind and relax in order to perform to the best they can.”
Holidaymakers in the UK went on the least amount of holidays abroad in 2017, compared to those polled from other countries, with two fifths of Brits (41%) spending on average 5-9 days on holiday abroad.
But even if you can’t afford to go away anywhere, annual leave can still be used to your advantage - you could use the time off to explore your local area, binge-watch Netflix or just, you know, sleep.
Just make sure you use your time off wisely and try to get some R&R, because a depressing 62% of those polled noted that on their return they felt as if they had not managed to properly “switch-off”. More than half of holidaymakers (56%) spend a lot of their holiday thinking about work and wider commitments. On top of this, one fifth (20%) dreaded returning to work.
Take this as your friendly reminder to make the most of your annual leave this year, after all, you’ve earned it.