“Forty percent of Americans leave unused paid vacation time on the table every year. Why? People are afraid of being replaced or they’re afraid of their work piling up while they’re gone.

These fears are understandable, but most of the time, they’re not grounded in reality. They’re what psychologists like me call irrational fears. They may feel true, but generally, they’re not.

Here’s what is actually true: Taking a vacation is extremely good for you—and for your employer, too.”