Why Taking More Vacations Could Get You Promoted Faster

This insight comes at a time when "Americans are taking less vacation time than at any point in the last four decades." Here are a few more facts from HBR and Project: Time Off that could help your career and quality of life:

Taking PTO increases your happiness and boosts productivity: This is precisely why you could get promoted sooner. You will like your job better if it allows you the escape, and you're a better candidate for promotion given your increased morale and more optimal work performance.

Your positive outlook also increases sales: On average, when the brain is in an optimistic state, "productivity improves by 31%, sales increase by 37%, and creativity and revenues can triple."

Your manager will perceive you as more productive: As stated, one of the major factors in productivity is happiness, and if your manager notices this attitude and behavior, then you're one step closer to professional advancement.

For salaried employees, not taking time off is technically a pay cut: You need to take advantage of your benefits, even if they're in short supply. Vacation days are part of your salaried package, so by not using them, you're missing out on paid time off.

The best news for employers is that having great PTO policies can have immense positive impact on business:

As HBR puts it, "Life is finite, and work is infinite." Take a vacation because you owe it to yourself, far more than you owe anything to your employer. Chances are, the affects will be mutually beneficial.

Infographic: Project: Time Off

via Harvard Business Review and Project: Time Off