Cara Rangaswamy English 138T Dr.

Haspel 3/18/13 Persuasive Essay My aunt works from 7:30 am to 7:00 pm every weekday. She has to commute to school as well, a thirty-minute drive. My uncle has to commute an hour and a half to work and back everyday. He does not return home until 8:00 pm most nights. While not all American families have a work schedule as hectic as my aunts and her husbands, many Americans are overworked. In fact, Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers (Miller). As a culture, we put a lot more emphasis on work and productivity than we do on relaxation and pleasure. As individuals, our worth is often measured in terms of how productive we are and how high we are able to climb in rank over the course of our careers. People do not usually ask working adults questions like how much fun did you have yesterday? Instead, they ask questions like Did you finish the proposal yet? and When will you be finished organizing the meeting? We often forget how important it is to do things like taking care of our health and spending time with our families in the midst of all this pressure to perform well in the workplace. We also often forget to simply enjoy life once in a while and do something fun and relaxing. As a result, American workers often feel worn down and completely exhausted from working so hard. American workers need to be allotted more vacation time because it would

increase productivity and allow overall for happier, healthier, and more enthusiastic workers. American workers need more vacation time spread throughout the year in order to care for both their mental and physical health. This would, in turn, actually create more productive workers despite the fact that they would be at work fewer days in total. Working constantly is not good for the body or the mind, and makes workers less productive. In fact, Joe Robinson, a work-life balance consultant who wrote Work to Live, said taking a vacation is as essential as watching cholesterol or getting regular exercise[and] studies have shown that an annual vacation can reduce the risk of heart attack by 32 percent in men and 50 percent in women (Muhmel). We usually think of vacations as an indulgence or a treat a special occasion. Vacations are actually vital to our wellbeing as vital as eating healthily and getting enough exercise. Whether one travels to an exotic land or simply relaxes at home, it is essential to take vacations. I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated when I return to school after a break. I also find that I am much more enthusiastic about my work after a break than I am when I have been working consistently for several weeks. By taking more vacations, workers would be energetic and ready to work more productively than they do currently. One issue that has not yet been addressed is why Americans currently take so little vacation time off from work. While Americans are given fewer vacation days than their counterparts in other parts of the world, such as Europe, they often

do not take advantage of all of their vacation days. Not only is it essential that American workers take vacations, but it is also necessary that they take long enough vacations: "[Long weekends instead of full vacations] is what has turned into the American vacation, which is sad because it's not enough time for people to get recuperative benefits, Robinson said, adding that people need at least at least two weeks to restore crashed emotional resources (Muhmel). Unfortunately, the majority of American workers do not take full advantage of their allotted vacation days. Nearly one-third (31 per cent) of Americans say they don't use all their vacation days, even though many say they feel rejuvenated when they return to work after a vacation (Joyce). So why do Americans often not use all of the vacation days that they are given? One major issue is the economy. At this trying time economically, many people simply cannot afford to take enough days off of work to really relax and recuperate. Nevertheless, the economy need not prevent employees from being able to take breaks. Employers could consider paid vacations. The economy is hitting both employers and employees hard right now, but there are precedents in other countries of employees being paid during their vacation time. In fact, the U.S. is the only advanced economy in the world that does not guarantee its workers paid vacation. (Klein). Britains workforce is guaranteed 20 days of compensated leave, while Germanys is guaranteed 24 and Frances is guaranteed 30. This is in contrast to employees receiving a mere 12 vacation days in the U.S. on average, without guaranteed pay (Klein). There is nothing stopping the U.S. from adopting a model similar to European countries like Great Britain,

Germany, and France that would allow workers to take more vacation time and be paid for the duration of it. This would actually benefit employers because their employees would work more productively upon returning from a vacation than they are currently with few vacation days. Another advantage to workers having more vacation days, and being paid for the duration, is that they would be able to spend more time with their families. Family dinners together, game nights, and vacations are all important to strengthen familial bonds. Yet, many working adults do not arrive home until late in the evening, such as my aunt and her husband. By the time they arrive home, their fouryear-old daughter has already eaten, and thus an opportunity for family bonding over a meal has been lost. Eating together allows families to share news about their day and bond over a meal. A vacation from work, whether spent at home or elsewhere, gives families the opportunity to relax and be able to prepare and enjoy meals together. Furthermore, vacations that entail traveling could provide some even greater family bonding opportunities. For example: According to the Disney Time Survey, a blind study conducted by Kelton - a leading research firm - almost one in two parents feel that out of all the time they spend with their children, only half of it, at most, could be classified as "quality time." However, while on vacation, parents report that 82 percent of time would fall in the "quality time" category (Time-Starved). When families travel, they often partake in new and exciting activities together and this serves as a strong bonding experience for family members young and old. Families that vacation together have been found to be 77 percent more excited, 75

percent more relaxed, 68 percent sillier, 54 percent calmer, and 54 percent more affectionate than normal (Time-Starved). Vacations are an opportunity for both hard working parents and their kids to unwind and focus on each other for a little while rather than just their stressful lives. Healthy family relationships offer many benefits, such as heart and blood pressure that respond better to stress and a stronger immune system (Taking Charge). American employees are overworked. Most employees have an average 46hour workweek, with many working more hours than that. Productivity and accomplishment are valued incredibly highly in our society; so many employees push themselves to the limit to get more and more work accomplished. In the midst of this ambitious environment in the workplace, it is important and even crucial that workers be able to take vacations. Working too hard can cause numerous physical and mental health problems, while taking vacations can help relieve workplace stress and allow families to spend valuable time together. It is ultimately up to us, the American people, to instigate change in the way vacations are viewed in our society. We need to start valuing our health and wellbeing. Fortunately, we need not lose our appreciation for productivity. We need only turn to other countries, such as Britain, Germany, or France, to get ideas of how we can retain a productive workspace while allowing time for longer and more frequent paid vacations for workers. This is the future of the American workplace, and the American workers themselves can make it happen.

Works Cited

"French Most Likely to Use All Time Off; Japanese Take Fewer Vacation Days." Editorial. Windsor Star [Ontario] 9 Aug. 2010, LIFE, Pg. B3 sec.: n. page. LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. Joyce, Amy. (06/04/2005). "Unused vacation time piling up". The Gazette (Montreal) (0384-1294), p. B.6. Klein, Ezra. "Why We Don't Vacation Like the French." The American Prospect. N.p., 18 July 2007. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Miller, G.E. "The U.S. Is the Most Overworked Developed Nation in the World When Do We Draw the Line?" The U.S. Is the Most Overworked Nation in the World. 20 Something Finance, 12 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Muhmel, J. (2007, Jun 21). Vacations necessary, experts say. McClatchy Tribune Business News. Retrieved from <http://search.proquest.com/docview/462162424?accountid=13158> "Taking Charge of Your Health." Why Relationships & Family Are Important. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. <http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/create-healthylifestyle/relationships/why-relationships-family-are-important>. "Time-Starved American Families Look to Vacations to Rediscover Each Other, Survey Shows." Market Watch. The Wall Street Journal, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2013.