The Signs You Really Need a Vacation

— -- intro: You probably wouldn't hesitate to call in sick if you had the flu. But would you take a day off when your stress levels have catapulted into the stratosphere? For many of us, the answer is no. In a 2011 survey of 1,546 people by the American Psychological Association, about one-third of respondents said they typically feel tense or stressed out during their workday. And despite that nearly all of us need an occasional break, many rarely take a vacation day because they worry that others will look down on them, says Paula Davis-Laack, PhD, author of Addicted to Busy. Sky-high stress at work won't just lead to burnout—it can also bring on stomach issues, trouble sleeping, headaches, and more, according to a 2011 review by researchers from the University of South Florida. On average, Americans get 14 days of vacation a year, but use only 10 of them. How do you know when you've reached a breaking point and it might be time to cash in your chips? Read on for the signs that you and your workplace need a little time off.

12 Signs You May Have an Anxiety Disorder

quicklist: 1category: The Signs You Really Need a Vacationtitle: Every little problem is turning into a big issueurl:text:No one likes fielding other people's mistakes, but the truth is, you should be able to handle the occasional curveball or two—and your goal should always be to knock it out of the park. A positive attitude is key. "There are days when you [tackle problems] like a rock star," says Davis-Laack. "And that's a good feeling to have." Even on days when you're not feeling very ambitious, you should try to keep the situation in perspective. Sure, legitimate annoyances will always pop up, but "not everything you deal with is a level-10 problem," she says. If you're acting testier toward your co-workers or clients (say, you find yourself thinking, "Didn't we just go over that?" or "Why can't you understand these directions?"), then you're the one who might be making a mistake—by not taking some time off to recharge.

quicklist: 2category: The Signs You Really Need a Vacationtitle: Your coworkers keep asking if you're feeling all righturl:text:Other people may notice that you're stressed before you do. If your coworkers keep approaching you to say, "You look tired," or ask, "Is something wrong?" then that could be a sign that your stress has spilled over into your workday and is obvious to the rest of your office, says Davis-Laack. Another sign: You're unusually cranky and people are giving you more distance than usual. If that's the case, you may not need to take much time off—just a day or two or a long weekend, she explains. Andrew Shatte, PhD, a stress resilience expert and co-author of meQuilibrium: 14 Days to Cooler, Calmer, and Happier also recommends trying to work more "microbreaks" into your day. For example, all it may take to give you a quick mood boost is a 2-minute lap around the office floor or a short coffee break.

12 Superfoods for Stress Relief

quicklist: 3category: The Signs You Really Need a Vacationtitle: You start making mistakesurl:text:

"Chronic stress is a well-known cause of workplace errors, and it's a sign that you may need to take a step back," says Davis-Laack. Studies show that when doctors and pharmacists are stressed or have a heavy workload, they could be prone to more mistakes—a serious problem in the medical community, since they can be potentially fatal to patients.

If you're in the middle of a project and have been slipping up, finish the project and then arrange for some time off, advises Davis-Laack. "You don't have to tell everyone on your team what's happening," she says, "but you might want to let your supervisor or client know that you've fixed your mistake and are taking steps to ensure it doesn't happen again."

quicklist: 4category: The Signs You Really Need a Vacationtitle: You're feeling pretty cynicalurl:text:

Everything bores you, nothing excites you, and you can't muster up any positive thoughts about the company you work for. Once those cynical thoughts start percolating in your brain, it may be a sign that you could be headed for burnout. Try to counter it ASAP: Davis-Laack advises employees to keep at least a three-to-one ratio of positive to negative experiences. (And she also says that highly successful teams have a ratio of about six to one.) Shatte's advice: "If you have an upsetting conversation with someone at the office, jump on the phone with another long-term colleague and ask to chat for a few minutes," he says. "You want to balance out the bad experiences with even more good ones."

13 Ways to Beat Stress in 15 Minutes or Less

quicklist: 5category: The Signs You Really Need a Vacationtitle: You start 'borrowing' the office suppliesurl:text:

Sure, we've all snatched a pen or two, but when you're practically shopping at the supply closet, that's a sign that you're stressed out. Researchers actually have a name for these habits: "counterproductive work behaviors," or "CWB," for short. And one new 2015 study found that it may take weeks or even months before they start showing up in stressed-out employees. "Uncertainty [in the workplace] drives a great deal of stress," says Davis-Laack. "As a result, people tend to turn inward, seek to protect their own turf, and become less likely to help others because they don't know what's going to happen outwardly." If you're engaging in counterproductive work behaviors, like picking fights with your co-workers or taking extra-long lunch breaks, she says, you may need a day off to help reset your priorities or even seek out new opportunities.