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According to Expedia's ninth annual Vacation Deprivation survey we do.
A poll of 1,500 adults conducted this March revealed that 40 percent of U.S. women feel guilty taking a vacation from work, while only 29 percent of men do. And while both sexes receive an average of 13 vacation days from their employer, men are more likely to take a two-week vacation each year than women (12 percent of men take off two weeks straight, while 8 percent of women do).
My first thought upon seeing these stats was, "There we women go again, selling ourselves short." After all, plenty of ink has been spilled about how men are more likely to negotiate salary and benefits than women -- and how women who do negotiate are sometimes penalized for it.
But perhaps the fact that men are more likely than women to take a two-week vacation each year has nothing to do with guilt or gender stereotypes. Perhaps Expedia's finding that 44 percent of U.S. men regularly work more than 40 hours a week for their employer while only 29 percent of women do accounts for this discrepancy.
Or perhaps we should stop comparing who's better at relaxing in this country and ask ourselves why a third of us leave three vacation days on the table each year -- even if we do get compensated for not taking them. Sure, the French leave two vacation days on the table each year, but they get a whopping 38 vacation days to start with. Then there are the vacation-loving British. While they receive a mere 26 vacation days a year, they're the country least likely to leave a single vacation day on the table.
So where do you fall on the guilt-free vacation spectrum? Do you feel sheepish leaving the office behind -- even if you're only traveling to your backyard or living room? Or can you completely clock out for a couple days or weeks without so much as sneaking a peek at your work email?
Freelance writer Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail her at ninetothrive@nwjobs.com.
By Kim on April 22, 2009 10:20 PM
I always feel bad taking a vacation or sick day. Because when I get back to work I feel I have really missed out on alot. Also, co-workers make me feel guilty I took a day off. Accumulated time I have earned, I should be able to take a day off without worrying. Not in my case. As a leader of people I am expected to be at work every day. Sometimes 7 days a week. As a woman I am held at a higher level of expectations. I am not one of the good old boys. Therefore, I need to work harder every day, which means be at work 9 hrs a day, 7 days a week. No vacations for me.
By Dawn on April 23, 2009 1:57 PM
Kim, you do realize that by not taking time out to recharge, you are actually hurting the work you do? You are *not* at your best when you do not take time off to recharge. And every hour over 8 hours a day is not as productive, so those extra hours you put in are not as effective.
Case in point--I used to work 12-hour days at a startup. I realized I was spending the first couple hours every day correcting all the mistakes I'd made in the last four hours of the previous day. Total time waste. When I stopped working like that, I got more done, with less errors.
By chris on April 23, 2009 3:51 PM
I should be feeling guilty for slacking while reading this article! Maybe I don't because I'm male...
-Chris
www.thelandlordtimes.com
By judy on April 25, 2009 10:32 AM
In my relationship, we have the exact opposite issue. I LOVE vacation and would gladly go every other week (if I could afford it), but my boyfriend is certain the world will crumble and fall apart if he misses a day of work. I'm a freelancer so my schedule is more flexible, but none of my vaykay days are paid. He, on the other hand, generally works for companies that give him vacation days he never takes. Now he's been downsized, so we finally have the time to go, but not the money. Grrr.