On the last day of my recent trip to Tuscany, as I wandered the streets of Florence, gelato in hand, the sudden urge to check my emails washed over me. It’s the ultimate out-of-office sin, I know, and as Outlook greeted me with 600 unread messages, I immediately regretted the decision. What kind of office chaos would I be returning to? How long would it take me to catch up on the five days I’d spent off? Had I left my colleagues in the lurch, needing to pick up my slack? Despite enjoying (and desperately needing) my time away, I felt sheepish, like I’d skipped a class at school or left a party early without saying goodbye.

I’m not alone in the feeling. Research from online learning platform ELVTR found that more than two-thirds of Britons continue to work on vacations, with 73% admitting feeling guilty about it, while according to Google trend data, searches for “feel bad taking time off” have risen by 126% in the last month. Combine that with the fact that there are currently over 11.5 million posts on the TikTok search “Feeling guilty for taking a day off work” and the conclusion is clear: we have a big problem with holiday guilt and enjoying the time off that we’re entitled to.

It’s no surprise that so many of us struggle to switch off during downtime. In the same ELVTR survey, one in four said they get asked to check their emails while on holiday by their bosses and colleagues and 24% are bombarded by work-related text messages while away from their desks. 

It’s having such a severe impact that 35% of people in the UK are taking less time off than they used to, and 12% say they won’t be able to take holidays at all due to understaffing following company redundancies. In fact, having no one to delegate work to is the main reason people work while on vacation at 39%, with 5% saying they are afraid they might lose their job if they don’t.

“We live in a world that glorifies working 24/7, constantly being busy, and it makes relaxation seem like a luxury,” shares Justin Chapman, a travel expert at Go2Africa. “There’s often an unspoken expectation to be available, productive, and contactable at all times, and that includes during time off.” As he explains, this culture can easily make us feel like taking time off means we’re less committed to our roles, especially if our co-workers and managers rarely take time off themselves, or continue to work even when they do take a break.

You don’t need me to tell you that time off, whether a holiday or simply a break from your desk and daily life, is essential in maintaining the healthy work-life balance we all crave. Resting physically, mentally and emotionally shouldn’t be a luxury but a priority, as pushing ourselves further towards burnout is ultimately detrimental to not just ourselves but our companies too. So how do we begin to get over the fear and guilt of taking time away?

“Start by reminding yourself that rest is productive,” career coach Emily Button-Lynham tells Stylist. “We have been conditioned by society to be constantly doing, and we’re living in an always-on culture, so what this does is make us focus on busy work (work that keeps us active but has little to no value) and neglect our needs as humans. However, resting is important, too: it allows us to stabilise our nervous systems and benefits our mental, physical and spiritual health.”

Because, let’s face it: work will always be there, so it’s important to make sure that we don’t miss out on too many opportunities to make memories and have experiences.

The key to doing this without guilt, Button-Lynham says, is to track and measure what actually happens when you take time off as opposed to any ‘mights’, ‘coulds’ or ‘shoulds’. “After you get back from holiday, reflect on what you came back to: were there any life or death emergencies that couldn’t be handled without you around? If not (which is likely the case) and things tick along as normal, it should provide you with the confidence that you are able to go away, relax and return rejuvenated and the world of work continues to turn,” she adds.

To help manage your stress levels while away, in the weeks leading up to a holiday, make sure you are clear on your priorities to enable you to head to the beach without worrying about your to-do list. Start each day with the top three non-negotiables that you want to work on, which will allow you to remain focused.

Don’t forget to communicate ahead of time that you are going on holiday and ensure you have someone as a backup or contact who can help to field any emergency questions. Button-Lynham also advises removing any work apps from your phone so that you’ll be less likely to sneak a peek at your Slack channels or Teams notifications. 

“Having a routine can help keep us on track both mentally and physically which can make our days more positive and productive,” suggests Claire McLean, an HR expert and founder and chief executive of Realise HR. 

“Adding downtime to your schedule, blocking some time out so it’s in the diary regularly. But letting go and having trust in your colleagues can make a world of difference. Setting boundaries at work will help you reduce the amount of time you spend reacting to other people’s desires and setting boundaries for when you’re on holiday and out of the office. It’s OK to say no when you feel it’s right.” 

Images: Getty