So many people in the U.S., for whatever reasons, don’t use all of their vacation days. Some will even work on their vacation! That is an extremely unhealthy way of living. First off, we weren’t put on this earth to work our lives away. We should be enjoying ourselves more often. Secondly, we work extremely hard to the point of exhaustion and deserve more paid time off than we are given. It is so important to our health and happiness that we learn to be okay with using our vacation days.

1. Plan your trip in advance.

When you plan your trips, you will have an idea of what your vacation will cost, which will allow you to save up.

2. Vacations are something you can look forward to doing.

This excitement will nudge you into committing to the trip. Think of all the amazing experiences you will have and the connections you’ll make.

3. Stop feeling guilty for taking care of yourself.

You have given the company time to prepare for your absence. If there isn’t already, you can train a co-worker to handle your duties while you’re gone. Then, you can sit back, relax, and truly appreciate your leisure time.

4. Repeat after me: I have earned it.

Not only do you work very hard and because of that you deal with a lot of unnecessary stress. Use the time to let go and refresh.

5. Use your sick days too!

Sick days don’t have to be strictly for when you’re physically feeling unwell. They are also there for your mental health. If you want to avoid burnout and need to reboot, take the day off and spend it doing something that will invigorate your soul.

6. People pleasing doesn’t fulfill your needs.

It only helps those you are trying to please and usually goes unappreciated. Forget what you believe your boss or co-workers think. Their personal lives aren’t really impacted by you taking time off. Besides, you should focus on your happiness before anyone else’s.

At the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself and one way of doing that is using your vacation days. Vacations are more than just a period of time you’re not working. They allow you to reconnect with the earth, others, and yourself. Vacations make you slow down and appreciate what’s in front of you. Don’t lose sight of what’s truly important and enjoy the moment.