Why Americans Need to Take a Break
From The James Brown Commentary by James A. Brown
March 11, 2026 · 1 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the lack of vacation time for American workers compared to their international counterparts and emphasizes the importance of taking breaks for well-being.
American workers are seriously missing out on vacation time, snagging only 12 days off a year and barely using them! Meanwhile, folks in France, Germany, and the UK are living their best lives with a whopping 27 days to chill and unwind. Can you believe that? Even Hong Kong workers are making the most of their 26 days, while we’re over here working ourselves to the bone! It’s no wonder so many of us are feeling burned out and unfulfilled at work—there’s a major disconnect happening. So, let's get real: if you're listening to this, take your vacation days, folks! You can’t take them with you, and trust me, I need to start taking my own advice on that front too. Let's make a pact to prioritize our well-being! American workers are on a vacation diet, barely scraping by with just 12 days off per year, according to the latest findings from Expedia's Vacation Deprivation Report. Now, let’s pause for a moment and let that sink in—12 days! That’s like trying to survive on a slice of pizza a week while the rest of the world is feasting on a buffet! In contrast, our buddies over in France, Germany, and the UK are living the dream with a whopping 27 vacation days a year. Meanwhile, workers…
People in this episode
Host: James A. Brown
Topics covered
- vacation time
- work-life balance
- burnout
- employee well-being
- international comparison
Keywords
- vacation
- work
- burnout
- well-being
- international comparison
- employee rights
- time off
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Expedia
Places: France, Germany, UK, Hong Kong
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