153. Summer Self-Care: Why Taking Time Off Is Good for Your Health, Career, and Community

In this episode, Renee Schulte and Jason Haglund explore an often-overlooked aspect of wellness: actually using the time off you've earned. From the health risks of burnout to the surprising benefits of vacation on productivity and career growth, they discuss why Americans struggle to disconnect from work and what we can learn from cultures that prioritize rest. Along the way, they share practical strategies for using PTO effectively, preventing overwhelm before and after vacations, and finding creative ways to build self-care into both personal and professional travel.In this episode, you will be able to:Why taking paid time off is critical for preventing burnout and improving overall well-being.How vacation and rest can boost creativity, focus, productivity, and even career advancement.What current PTO trends reveal about American work culture and our relationship with time off.Practical strategies for planning vacations without returning to an overwhelming workload.Creative ways to incorporate self-care, community connection, and personal growth into travel and work trips.The key moments in this episode are:00:00:09 - Introduction to Summer Self-Care00:01:34 - Why Americans Struggle to Use PTO00:06:40 - The Health and Career Benefits of Taking Time Off00:12:15 - PTO Statistics and Workplace Trends00:18:10 - Planning Time Away Without Falling Behind00:22:45 - Creative Approaches to Vacation and Business Travel00:26:30 - Self-Care Through Life Transitions and New Seasons00:29:22 - Final Encouragement to Use Your PTO and RechargeLinks:https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642https://washingtonnational.com/explore/at-work/6-ways-using-pto-boosts-your-career/https://acarasolutions.com/blog/recruiting-trends/the-importance-of-using-all-your-vacation-time/https://acarasolutions.com/blog/recruiting-trends/the-importance-of-using-all-your-vacation-time/https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/paid-time-off-reasons-should-use-ptohttps://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/03/30/how-americans-view-their-jobs/https://share.google/2aVRdOJg7f8EYduKfhttps://clockify.me/pto-statistics Connect with us: https://ruralpolicypartners.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/company/rural-policy-partners/ https://www.facebook.com/facebook.com/ruralpolicypartnershttps://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartnersWatch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lQxAy7PPk4I