This is the biggest mistake people make when taking PTO

Americans are notoriously bad at taking PTO. Like, shockingly bad. In fact, according to one survey, only 26% of workers used all their paid time off (PTO). And according to another, 47% of people feel guilty if they don’t work while on vacation. Over the years, we’ve published dozens of stories about the importance of taking PTO and unplugging on vacation.

Still, especially in an uncertain environment where many are afraid of layoffs, it’s understandable to feel like you can never fully step away.

Why Americans aren’t taking vacations

There is a cost to never leaving work behind. Taking both physical and mental space away from work, in fact, makes you better at your job. People who don’t take breaks are less productive and engaged; they’re also at a higher risk for burnout and other health issues, and are less creative. The costs for always-on employees are so high, in fact, that some forward-thinking companies offer employees a cash bonus for taking a vacation and not checking in with work while they away.

As for the guilt? While you should set up colleagues to handle questions or cover for core responsibilities when you’ll be away, it’s not your job to keep things running while you’re on vacation. If your company isn’t able to survive without you for a week, there’s something wrong with the structure of the business that needs to be addressed, says Celeste Headlee, author of Do Nothing: How to Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving.

The better way to take vacations

Even if you know the benefits of taking PTO and manage to stay fully unplugged while you’re away, chances are you still aren’t taking much time off. While employees in some countries routinely take two weeks, three weeks, or even monthlong vacations in the summer, the average U.S. vacation is just four days long—nowhere near enough time to really unplug and recharge. (According to a paper in the Journal of Happiness Studies, it can take at least eight days for your brain to fully relax on vacation.)There are practical reasons that we take so little time off. Most Americans only have between 11 and 16 days of PTO a year. So it’s understandable to try to squeeze a vacation into a short time frame. But after years of taking only long weekends, or flying back on a Sunday night and going into the office bleary-eyed on Monday morning, I’ve realized the most important part of taking a vacation can be giving yourself a buffer day.Business Insider reported recently on a trend of “slowcation,” booking longer and slower forms of travel in an effort to more fully unplug from the grind. And while that is certainly a good idea, what you do when you get home can be equally important. Going from vacation mode to work mode is a big shift. That’s why when you plan your return, you should always leave at least one free day. Use this buffer day to reset: Do laundry, buy groceries, clean out your inbox. The true slowcation is one where you ease back into work. Rushing right back could undo the chill you’ve cultivated over your time away.