Since it is sunny and bright outside after two days of rain, maybe I’ve got the beach on my mind. We’re talking about vacation today. We know that we don’t take as much vacation as we’re allotted, and besides affecting productivity it can also affect your health.

Most Americans get about 10 vacation days a year (we can’t all live in France), yet many don’t even utilize all their time off. As smartphones and internet connections are becoming more widely available, more and more people end up working during their vacation! Maybe because they are worried they’re going to come back to a pile of work, or they are worried they won’t be missed and be let go. But research suggests that employees who use more vacation days perform better.

Besides productivity at work, taking time off can actually benefit your health. Workers who are fatigued or distracted have a greater risk of accidentally hurting themselves on the job. Workers who take on more hours can experience depression. It can also cause chronic stress which can affect your weight, your heart, your sleep and a whole host of other physical ailments. Stress can also impact work, as employees who are stressed may be more likely to quit or be fired, have higher healthcare expenses, or have a weaker performance at work. Job stress is estimated to cost employers and their insurance companies $300 billion a year. It may actually be in the employer’s best interest to encourage workers to take time off.

Strong relationships may actually work to lower stress levels and make people happier, those with strong friendships and relationships may even live longer. Working longer hours means people have less time to see their friends and close family, which can result in their physical and mental health suffering.

If you can’t get away for a week or two right now, taking small breaks in your daily workday can do a lot to help your productivity and maintain your stamina so you don’t burnout. Take a walk at lunch, listen to a short podcast, or do some other short activity to take a break. You might just return sharper and more ready to take on the day.