When to Use Vacation Days for a Staycation or Keep On Accruing
Whether you are working at the office or from home now, you are still earning vacation hour and days. It’s one of the many valuable employee benefits of having a full-time job. Don’t take them for granted even if you can’t travel like you want to.
First set a reminder each month to check your vacation accrual numbers. Next decide in advance when to take vacation days and mark your calendar. When you are not going to be able to go on a “real” vacation for any reason, consider planning a staycation.
Compare the many benefits of taking paid time off now versus saving vacation days for use in the future. Which is better to do and why?
Staycation Now or Travel Later?
Everyone needs to take time off from work and life on a regular basis. If you are stuck at home and working a stressful job, a vacation can be an effective remedy. Remember that vacations are not only about flying, taking a road trip, or embarking on a cruise. You can take a day or two for staycation purposes as well.
The only difference is with a staycation you are not traveling or staying overnight in a destination. With a home-based staycation you can visit places, parks, and attractions by embarking on day trips from your home. It’s a local vacation without the fuss of booking, packing and unpacking. There’s also what I call an extreme staycation. That is when you are based at home but driving longer distances, staying overnight when justified.
The downside to taking a staycation now is if you want to earn enough days to plan a bucket list trip later. Perhaps you are like many Americans who have limited paid time off and have to save up your days. Letting your vacation days add up to use later in the year (or rollover if allowed) is how you can save for a two or three week trip of a lifetime.
5 Reasons to Take a Staycation Now
Studies have shown that taking vacations leads to multiple benefits. Do the same rewards apply to staycations as well? The research is limited, but you can still keep these proven benefits in mind to decide. A staycation can be just like a vacation if you document an itinerary and commit to the plan.
- Vacations reduce the stress and anxiety of the always plugged-in workplace whether office or home-office.
- Vacations improve physical health such as factors leading to heart disease or building up your immunity.
- Vacations boost productivity as well as creativity after you return to work.
- Vacations lead to greater work-life balance and long-term life satisfaction.
- Vacations are your reward for working so plan to take a staycation when you feel the need to take time off (don’t feel guilty).
5 Reasons to Save Your Vacation Days
Maybe you are not excited about being forced to take vacation days without being able to go far from home. Saving up the bulk of your vacation days for a better and safer time to travel is a reasonable idea. Just make sure that your company allows it.
- Planning and anticipating a major trip is shown to improve happiness (not just the act of traveling).
- Taking one or two week+ vacations a year means fewer flights and airport connections and reducing the risks of travel.
- Companies are likely to be more flexible about roll-over policy during a health emergency when employees are working from home.
- Getting away for an extended period offers sufficient time for transit and truly getting into the vacation mindset.
- A multi-week trip affords the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different country, language, culture, and experience.
Whatever You Do, Don’t Lose Your Vacation Days
Maybe you’ve decided to skip the staycation and keep working in order to accrue a larger number of vacation days. Taking a really long trip later in the year or early next year is certainly appealing. However if you don’t at least some of your vacation days soon for a staycation, make sure you don’t lose accrued vacation days
Many companies limit the number of vacation days you can accrue each pay period before you stop accruing additional days. You never want to reach that limit as it is like working for free. The same goes for not meeting the criteria for rolling over vacation days into the new year. Do you need to get that approved in advance? Is there a limit to roll-over days at your company? How long do you have to take those days before they expire?
Look at your payslip or HR portal to find out how many hours or days you’ve accrued to date and do the math. It is critical that you review your employee benefits handbook to double check the policy on accrual and rollover. Track those vacation days and document your policy to avoid this costly trap.
Americans are notorious for leaving vacation days on the table. Don’t be one of those people who fails to take all of their earned time off. You wouldn’t pay for your own doctors visit if you have employer-provided health insurance to cover it. Getting paid to stay home, spend time with family and friends, or travel is one of the most valuable and rewarding employee benefits.
You’ve Earned It So Take Your Vacations
Paid time off is one of your financial rewards for putting in all those hours on the job. It’s up to you to decide whether to take a paid staycation (at home) or to save up your days for a real vacation (with travel). Talk to your family and see how they feel about the subject. Make the best decision given your current job and financial situation, what’s happening in the world, and what feels right.
I suggest you try not to fall into the trap of thinking that a staycation is a poor substitute for traveling to a fun or exotic destination. It all depends on what is best for you and your family right now versus later. As long as you track your vacation days and take time off when you need it most (and before you max out), you’ll enjoy at least some of the benefits.
My advice is to get started planning your next staycation or vacation (or both!) right away. Seeing it scheduled on your calendar gives you and your loved ones something exciting to look forward to. Believe me that you’ll never run out of places to visit around the world as well as leisure activities that you can do near where you live. There is no wrong staycation versus vacation decision; except to fail to take your accrued time off from work each and every year.
