Editorial: Enjoy your time off

Amy Wiggins.

As much as I love my job, I always look forward to a holiday.

It's those four weeks every year when you get the chance to relax, do whatever you feel like, go somewhere new and recharge.

I was surprised to read that research by Expedia found Kiwi workers only tended to take three quarters of their leave each year.

I look forward to my breaks and carefully plan what I'm going to do with them.

The nature of the news industry means we often work weekends and public holidays so any decent break is a treat. Recently I've found it can become difficult to sync your holidays with your spouse's.

My husband's company shuts down for three weeks over Christmas and New Year but the news never stops so I'm at work for at least some of that period.

My husband didn't have any leave to take until the end of last year so I held off taking a break until about October.

It had been a year since I had more than a few days off at once and it was a break well needed.

It made me realise just how important it is to take a break every year.

While you're in the swing of things it's easy to keep going. It's not until you stop you realise just how tired you were.

The Expedia research found many Kiwis viewed holidays as "a guilty pleasure".

They are certainly not that. Holidays are an important part of achieving a work-life balance and a happy workforce.

I'm sure most employers would not only be happy for their staff to take breaks but encourage it.

As a manager I know my team work best if they are refreshed.

Often they return to work happier and more productive.

If you work with your boss to find a time which suits you both you shouldn't have to feel bad about taking a break. Really, there's no reason not to take a break to recharge and refresh yourself.

In New Zealand we're lucky employers legally have to give employees four weeks off a year plus public holidays. Take the time off and enjoy it.