[disneysteve]

I take every day I have coming to me and then some. I rarely hesitate to take a day or a partial day off if there is something that I feel is important for me to attend. For example, last night, my daughter was participating in the district-wide gifted program Renaissance Faire. I ended my hours at 5:00 instead of 8:00. Being there to see that was more important to me than working 3 more hours.

I get 4 weeks of vacation time each year. It does not accrue. We generally travel 2 or 3 of those 4 weeks. Only one year, 2005, did we travel all 4 weeks. I usually take one week in the late winter or early spring and work around the house, clean the garage, basement, yard, etc. During the summer, after DW is done camp, we do a family trip. This year, it will be 2 weeks in New Hampshire. Then we do our annual Disney World trip in November.

I need my vacations. I need the break from work for my own mental health and to spend time with my family. I believe taking those breaks makes me more effective at my job. Sometimes, when my vacation weeks are scheduled kind of far apart, I'll squeeze in a mini-vacation like a 3-day weekend trip to Lancaster, PA or something like that. Just to get away, clear my head, and return recharged with a fresh outlook. I think folks who don't take their vacation time are probably having a negative impact on their health and job productivity.