Anxiety and holidays because we feel guilty about asking for a vacation

Talking about mental health at work is a very recent conquest, fueled in part by the long-term effects that Covid has had on people’s health and the benefits that, conversely, working smart has brought. Even today, however, little attention is paid to the consequences that holiday anxiety may affect the well-being of workers. How many times have you watched Anne Hathaway aka Andy Sachs as second mate Miranda Priestley? The Devil Wears Prada we told ourselves no, we would never agree to get out of this taxi and turn our backs on paris and fashion week and everything that such a career would allow her to achieve if she had less conscience? Many personally, and perhaps also because deep down they have always confused the work ethic with the obligation to stay up late until the clock dangerously touches the night hours, are convinced that a good boss must be harsh, despotic, bordering on tyrannical. A lot of the movies they’ve promoted since the 80s have led us to believe it. toxic work environment based on success at any cost

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The advent of smartphones has only made things worse: the knowledge that you can always be contacted has increased the intrusion into space and time. Everything became faster, instantly, immediately both in work and in relationships. Performance is no longer measured only by results, but by speed. And to be faster, we must never stop, keep running, even when the road is over, even when we no longer have the resources to give. Because of this For many, vacation is becoming an increasingly difficult choice. For some, this is not even an option because they fear that the break could be interpreted as a weak commitment to work.

. The truth is that there is nothing noble about sacrificing yourself for the office and staying up late every night, it is a deeply painful and wrong attitude, which in some Nordic countries is considered a sign of bad organization.

However, in the United States, where many contracts do not provide for time off and vacation pay, many workers worry about asking for time off. Partly because they are afraid of possible rejection from their boss, partly because they are afraid that their more effective colleague, who remained in the office in August, may make them look bad. Vacation anxiety is a generalized anxiety disorder.

which goes hand in hand with so-called “stress relaxation”, or the stress of free time. A state of extreme anxiety caused by relaxation, which creates even more tension than being in the office can cause. We are not able to disconnect from work, and if we try, we will never be able to fully devote ourselves to ourselves and what is dear to us.

Unfortunately, there is no other remedy than to try to contain the guilt that overcomes us as the holidays approach, keeping in mind that there are no irreplaceable people in the company, we are all replaceable – no matter what weekend we ask a person for. resources – and that no vacation has ever ruined a career. If your boss is a good leader, he knows perfectly well that promotion does not depend on the number of vacation days. If he doesn’t know, then he’s the wrong boss, you’re in the wrong place, and you’d better get out of that taxi. Point Andy Sachs.