Dear Iowans,

I hope you're having a wonderful month of December. This is normally one of my favorite months of the year. I have a birthday in December, we get to enjoy Christmas, and then ring in the new year. I do have one request for every single Iowan, in 2023. Use every vacation day and personal day your workplace gives you.

The perfect vacation doesn't necessarily have to mean spending a week on the beach in Hawaii, exploring the Everglades in Florida, or running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Maybe the perfect time off for you is spending 4 days on our couch binge-watching the entire series of That 70s Show. Whatever taking time off for you looks like, I hope you utilize every opportunity you get to do so next year.

According to Forbes, Iowa is the 28th-ranked state when it comes to using vacation days. Together, we should be trying to put Iowa in the top 5. Before I get crushed for this and get called a slacker, or someone who doesn't work hard (all true by the way), just hear me out.

Using vacation days has real benefits for your health. According to Allina Health, "Studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and mental health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals."

Using your vacation days is good for you, both mentally and physically. Americans who use all of their vacation time report being happier in their personal relationships and happier with their overall health and well-being, according to Forbes.

According to CNBC, America is the second worst country in the world when it comes to PTO. Most Americans average around 10 vacation days per year. That in and of itself seems like a problem to me but if you already don't receive many vacation days, you should do everything you can to use all of those days next year. If you can't afford to travel somewhere, make your home your vacation spot. At the bottom of this article you'll find some really cool Airbnb spots you can stay at, right here in Iowa.

I know this isn't practical for every job in Iowa. I know there are jobs that require attention 365 days a year. I don't exactly know a workaround for that other than hiring someone to help. That costs money and no one wants to spend money just to take time off of work so I do understand that.

Most Vacation Time Used

It's not just the legal happy grass in Colorado that has many Coloradans so cheerful year-round. They are the number 1 ranked state when it comes to using their vacation time, according to Forbes. The average person living in Colorado uses 20 vacation days per year.

If you're lucky enough to have a job where you get paid time off and personal days, I hope you use every second of time off you're allowed in 2023. No one knows how much time they have on this earth so I hope you believe there's more to living than working. I work so I can live, I don't live so I can work.

As I mention all of this, I was almost guilty of not using every vacation day I had this year. I thankfully am able to just sneak in 2 more days before January 1. I'll make sure to do a better job next year.

Sincerely, Gabe