It's called vacation

Americans are good at many things, but vacations aren't one of them.

Summer is nearly upon us, yet 40 percent of us have no plans to take a vacation within the next six months. Rising gas prices are killing road trips, which are projected for a 30-year low. Nearly 60 percent of Enquirer readers said they'll take fewer weekend trips this summer than last summer.

But fuel costs are just an easy excuse. We're conflicted about vacation. We don't plan vacations because we're not really sure we want to take one, or don't remember how.

Work pressures have built to the point that it's easier to just stay at our desks. That way we won't have to catch up on all those blasted emails and phone calls. Besides, bosses think eager vacation-takers are slackers or disloyal. So, though we receive only half the vacation days most Europeans do and fewer than almost any developed country, we end up leaving three on the table every year.

This is a loss, not a gain, for the workplace. Workers who take vacation say they return rested, rejuvenated and more creative. An even more important loss is to the family. Children wait for months to have downtime with their parents, to do more than synchronize schedules and brief each other on daily activities. Couples used to use long, leisurely road trips as an opportunity to reconnect. Now frantic workers shrink two week vacations to one "power week" or even a "power weekend," and even then a quarter check emails and phone messages while away.

Let's take a break. Vacation days aren't just an earned benefit, they're a mental and physical health benefit. Effective work requires effective rest and effective recreation.

If you've forgotten how to play, how to talk to your kids, how to nap, how to do nothing, the upcoming three-day weekend is a great time to get in some practice.