We stepped outside of the airport and took off our masks. I watched as she inhaled the warm air and smiled. For the first time in what seemed like a very long while, my daughter was happy. When you add some post-holiday blues to an unrelenting dark New England chill and a world in which every movement and moment is consumed by an invisible plague … well, to say that it can wear on you is a bit of an understatement. So, when my daughter and I arrived in Miami Beach where it was warm and vibrant … loud and spectacular … and she smiled, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. And I quickly recognized that she was not the only beneficiary. 

Mentally, I felt more relaxed, was happier, and seemed more grounded than I had been in months.

“I took off for a weekend last month just to try and recall the whole year. 

All of the faces and all of the places, wonderin’ where they all disappeared…

It’s those changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same.” 

~Jimmy Buffett

We didn’t overschedule our weekend away. In fact, we planned very little and allowed ourselves the flexibility and freedom to do what we wanted when we needed. We walked. We watched both sunrises and sunsets. And we ate at a different restaurant every night so that we could sample the amazing cuisine. It was a spectacular trip and I came home — as did my daughter — feeling better mentally.

Vacations, even mini breaks like our recent trip to Florida, have both measurable and immeasurable benefits. According to non-profit healthcare system Allina Health, taking vacation time improves physical health, mental health, overall well-being, mental motivation, happiness, and family relationships. Yet millions of vacation days are forfeited every year.

Here’s good news. If you’ve been delaying your own time off because you’re afraid it might derail your career, data reported in Harvard Business Review attests to quite the opposite. Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan report that people who took fewer than 10 days off per year had a 34.6% likelihood of receiving a raise or bonus. But, people who took 11 days off or more had a 65.4% chance of receiving a raise or bonus. 

It literally pays to take time off!

In our company’s global Town Hall last week, our Chief People Officer, Kristi Hummel talked about the importance of our collective well-being. During the Q&A, we went a bit deeper, discussing as a team how we should prioritize our own mental health so that we could better show up for ourselves and for others. And we talked about the importance of time away. To renew, recharge, refresh. And I would add … reflect.

This idea is as important for our customers as it is for ourselves. We currently offer — and will continue to add — content to our intelligent learning platform Percipio focused on mental well-being and mindfulness. I just started a book called The Mood Elevator: Take Charge of Your Feelings, Become a Better You. (And yes, it’s available on Percipio.) What I love most about the book is that it highlights the importance of sleep, exercise, food, and mindfulness as we look to take charge of our emotions and become better versions of ourselves.

I can vouch firsthand how valuable taking some much-needed time away can be. The long weekend with my daughter was incredibly special and equally as important. I came back inspired and renewed, ready for whatever comes next.