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Harvey Mackay: Why taking a vacation is your patriotic duty

By WTOP Staff

Have you ever had one of those days when all you could think was, “Gosh, do I need a vacation”?

Of course you have, because all work and no play aren’t good for anyone. A vacation doesn’t have to be two weeks on a tropical island or even a long weekend at the beach. A vacation just means taking a break from your everyday activities. A change of pace. It doesn’t matter where.

Everyone needs a vacation to rejuvenate mentally and physically. But did you also know that you can help boost our economy by taking some days off? Call it your personal stimulus package.

SEE ALSO: Why the complainers are your best customers

An analysis by Oxford Economics for the U.S. Travel Association found that more than 40 percent of U.S. workers don’t take their full allotment of paid time off (PTO) during the year, representing an average of 3.2 unused vacation days per worker in 2013 — a total of 429 million work days!

Aside from the risk of exhaustion and career burnout, unused vacation days have a negative impact on the U.S. economy as a whole. The study estimated that if employees took full advantage of their PTO days, the economy would enjoy the benefits of more than $160 billion in sales and $21 billion in tax revenues, as well as supporting 21 million jobs in areas like retail, transportation and manufacturing. Workers taking just a single additional day off would boost spending by $73 billion.

So go ahead and take some vacation. It’s your patriotic duty.

And please, don’t try the old excuse that you can’t take time off because your esteemed presence is required at all times. No one is indispensable. No one. The place may not function as smoothly without you, but chances are the doors won’t close and you won’t lose all your customers.

My friend the late Zig Ziglar had an interesting take on productivity and vacations: “ Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?” So let that be motivation: Getting lots of work done in anticipation of being out of the office.

Summer is traditionally a great time for a vacation. Have you planned some time off yet?

You can detach from the workplace without worry and enjoy the break you deserve if you follow these simple steps before you leave:

Notify co-workers and clients

Let bosses, customers and colleagues know you’ll be on vacation at least a week — if not sooner — before you take off. Let people know how long you’ll be out of the office, when you’ll be returning, and who they should contact in the meantime. Set an auto-reply on your email and leave the same information on your voice mail.

Prepare your co-workers

Talk to the people who will handle questions or problems while you’re away. Help them troubleshoot by providing pertinent information like the status of current projects, names of possible callers, and reasons they might call.

Straighten up

There’s nothing as unmotivating as coming back from a great vacation to a workspace in complete disarray. Make the transition easier by cleaning up before you leave.

Get your mind in gear

If you are not accustomed to taking time off, you may have forgotten how to disconnect. It typically takes two to three days to get into vacation mode. A friend usually downloads a photo of his destination for his screensaver a couple weeks before vacation. It reminds him to enjoy the rewards for his hard work.

Turn off your electronics

Explain that you will be available for no more than 15 minutes a day unless the place is on fire. Our smartphone world has created an army of work zombies. The temptation to work is too great when you can just tap your phone. Don’t let technology ruin your break … or your life.

Trust the people you work with to carry on

You might be pleasantly surprised at what gets accomplished in your absence.

And if getting away from the office is absolutely impossible, try what the Business School of Happiness calls “The One Minute Vacation.” When time and money prevent taking a physical vacation, “The same relaxing benefits of taking a vacation can be found in minutes of simple meditation interspersed throughout the day. In fact, three one-minute sessions of deep breathing taken at pre-set intervals throughout the day may indeed deliver the deep sense of peacefulness that might have seemed elusive.”

Mackay’s Moral: Vacations aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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