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Hello Reader,

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It's summer and that means it's time for that annual pilgrimage to grandparents' homes, sandy beaches, exotic locales - take your pick. But for many of us, vacation is a difficult state of mind. This childhood ritual, which came naturally once upon a time, feels like a chore as an adult. Sure, we go through the motions of planning trips and booking tickets. But despite our best efforts we find it impossible to really switch off and take a break from work. And that is just sad.

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The human body needs regular R&R to function optimally. But we skip the required hours of sleep on a daily basis. Many of us take breaks of ever-shortening duration. A long weekend here, a half-day there. Some of us omit the vacation altogether. We are always on the run. It's hard to put down that phone or laptop. But this has serious ramifications not only on our health but also on our creativity & productivity. As leaders we should do more to ensure that all employees take a break. It's not just a compliance issue. It's essential for the longevity and well-being of our employees and the organization.

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Vacations are good for us. It should be obvious. But in case you need a reminder, see this TED talk by Stefan Sagmeister where he talks about the Power of Time Off. And if you are still debating whether you can get away from the office for a week or two, this volume of EQrated is dedicated to all the reasons why you need a vacation right now, today.

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Here's your bi-weekly EQrated list of resources on VACATION:

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​Why Taking Vacation Time Could Save Your Life - Warning! Not taking those vacation days can be hazardous to your health. Taking vacation time is essential to employee survival. Time off from work is integral to your physical & emotional well-being, sustained productivity and high performance. Read on for some more reasons to plan your next vacation. Source: Forbes​
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​What One Company Learned from Forcing Employees to Use Their Vacation Time - Have you ever felt burned out at work after a vacation? Or do you start stressing even before you go on vacation? Do you dread looking at your inbox because of all the unread emails or does the phone never leave your hand, even on vacation? Find out why our vacation systems are completely broken. Source: Harvard Business Review

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​We Just Can’t Unplug: 2 in 3 Employees Report Working While on Vacation - Are you one of those 2 in 3 employees? This research by Glassdoor shows how difficult it is for many of us to take a break. "But I can multitask", is a common refrain. But that's not the purpose of a vacation. Vacation is for relaxing, recharging, rejuvenating...you get the point. Source: Glassdoor

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​For millennials, unlimited vacation isn’t always a perk - Unlimited vacation! What can be better than that? Well apparently it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Especially if one is expected to keep in touch and reply to emails during that vacation. Unlimited vacation is a rare perk that is being considered by many progressive companies. But many employees (and HR teams) are not really sure that they want it. Source: Fast Company

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If there is a topic that you would like to see featured in The EQrated, please let me know at stef@yourturnsolutions.com. Please feel free to share this Newsletter with people you know who might find value in it! They can also subscribe to the EQrated by clicking the button below.

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Subscribe to The EQrated

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Have a great summer everyone. See you in September!

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Ciao,

Stef