The Best Ways To Take Advantage Of PTO Days

Paid time off, a.k.a. PTO days, are a heaven-sent gift for hard workers everywhere; however, few of us busy bees rarely ever take the time to enjoy them.

According to Fortune: “Paid leave, whether in the traditional structure of vacation and sick days or as the most general bank of hours paid time off policy, makes up nearly 7% of total compensation in private industries,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “But employees rarely use all the time allotted. Workers, on average, fail to use nearly five vacation days a year, the U.S. Travel Association found.”

Say whaaat?! If you’re one of the people just letting your PTO days go to waste, we seriously suggest you reconsider — here’s why:

They’re there for a reason!

Many people are scared to take off because they don’t want to fall behind in their work. But, if your company is offering you paid time off, they’re not worried you’ll fall off the wagon, so you shouldn’t be either. Reminder: You got this – stop psyching yourself out.

Plus, there’s so much more to life than just working your ass off, and if you’re given the time to go and experience some of it, think of how much a waste it is not to take it. THE BIGGEST. EVER.

Plus, they’ll actually make you more productive.

Stuck in a rut? It’s time to clear your head! Newsflash: Mental health matters. A lot.

As Pocket Mindfulness put it, you should never feel guilty about taking some personal time — “Take the day off. Do something you love and come back tomorrow feeling refreshed and productive.”

Most importantly? YOU DESERVE IT.

No matter what you do for a living, everyone deserves a break sometimes. Treat yourself and take yours. It’s that simple. Trust us.

So how should you spend your PTO Days? Like this:

Mental Detoxing.

If your mind is exhausted, taking a PTO day is the perfect opportunity to do some mental detoxing.

As She’s In The Glow put it, try “Exercise. Yoga, walking, running — whatever works for you! — will shift your thoughts and energy as well as your body’s hormones and chemicals, boosting your overall happiness and neutralizing the mental chatter that might be blocking you from your happiness in the present moment.”

“Stressed out about a work project?” She’s In The Glow also recommends meditating. “When we stop, drop and meditate, we can access our peace at the moment regardless of what is happening outside of us. There’s no point in being at the mercy of everyone and everything outside of us — we actually can be in control of how we feel if we just give ourselves the chance to connect with our real source of peace within. When we feel good, that’s when things on the outside begin to fall into place.”

Sounds like it’s worth a try, huh?

Vacationing.

If you have a bunch of PTO days built up, do yourself a favor and book a trip, buy a ticket, and cross something off of your bucket list!

You know that place you always wanted to go? Go there. Seriously, what are you waiting for?! There’s no time like the now.

Sleeping.

Ah, one of life’s most simple pleasures. Nothing says a PTO day well spent like staying in bed all damn day. For some reason, I’ve always dreamt of the day when my (currently non-existent) husband and I will both play hooky from work and stay in bed all day long — I don’t know why, but nothing sounds better to me. But, you better believe that you don’t need a significant other to do that — snuggling with yourself and a Sex and the City marathon is just as good.

What’s your favorite way to spend a PTO day? Let us know in the comments!