How many vacation days to you get in a year? I've been at my day job for about 18 months and get 12 days a year plus 6 sick/flex days, equaling a total of about 18 paid days off. This is just about on par for North America, where the average worker receives 14 holidays a year -- a paltry amount when compared to European countries like Britain (24 days), Spain (30 days) and France (a whopping 36 days, that's 7 weeks a year!).

I don't know why North Americans are such workaholics, but I definitely think that 14 days a year is pretty pathetic and according to this piece, most people don't even use their vacation time. It's unfortunate because I think taking a break from the daily grind to relax for a week can make you generally happier at work and increase your performance.

The article even mentions a study with results that showed women who took holidays were more satisfied with their marriages and less likely to become depressed, while a separate study showed that among men who were at high risk for coronary heart disease, those who took vacations had a lower death rate. So don't feel guilty about taking a few days off. You've paid your dues so go on holiday and enjoy it.