Question: Is it even worth taking a summer vacation?

Conceptually, vacation is a great idea. In fact, that idea keeps many of us going. Work can be tough and even unbearable, but there’s nothing better than the notion of enjoying an entire week with nothing to do except relax on the beach--and getting paid to do it!

Yet it rarely plays out that way. A much more likely scenario is one of frantic preparations and a virtual all-nighter the day before a vacation. During this supposed vacation, there is non-stop Blackberry-checking mixed in with a few beach-bound conference calls. Then there’s the post-vacation hangover consisting of a week’s worth of 12-hour days making up for all the time you missed.

Sign me up!

With summer upon us, the question becomes “Is a vacation even worth the trouble?” Most people say no, as indicated by the two-thirds of Americans who did not take a vacation in 2009. In spite of it all, here’s my advice: Take vacation days. Take all of your vacation days, and take them as vacation days. You do benefit from taking the time off, and if you’re worried about making the plunge, keep the following in mind.

1. A vacation could save your job.
In this wavering economy, many people are scared to take vacation days because they’re afraid their job won’t be there when they get back. In actuality, vacation allows those above you to realize how much you do. Your bosses may be shocked at how much you handle in a typical week. Now don’t set them up for failure, but see how excited they are to see you when you return. When you get back, you’ll be fresh, rested, and even more productive.

2. You’re not missing much.
It’s quite amazing how few emails are actually important once you get back. The average person gets about 200 emails a day, which means about 1,000 during a week’s vacation. I promise you, of those 1,000 emails, about 975 will no longer be important or relevant once you return. In fact, I bet you have 50 emails where someone chose Reply All to say the word “thanks.” Yet 85 percent of small-business workers said they planned to stay connected during summer vacation, and 60 percent intended to check email and voicemail at least once a day. Detach the Blackberry from your hand on vacation--the company will still be standing when you return.

3. It empowers those who work for you.
For managers, your trip is a chance for your team to shine. Give them some responsibility and see how they can handle it--without you looking over their shoulder. They won’t admit it to your face, but they love it when you go on vacation.

4. A vacation could save your life.
Women who took two or more vacations a year had a 50 percent lower chance of a heart attack than counterparts who didn’t take time off, according to the Framington Heart Study. For men, the odds were reduced by a third.
Employers should want their employees to take vacations, because people who are well rested, relaxed, and healthy require fewer sick days.

Hopefully, you’re convinced to take all of your vacation days this year. It’s a great way to save your job--and your life.