Indian employees feel guilty about taking a break or leave, reveals new study

India is affected by a silent epidemic called 'Guilt Vacation Syndrome' and several studies have indicated this in the past. Wondering what it means? Well, the term is used for office-goers who feel guilty about using their designated leaves. What's the reason, you may ask? Fear of missing out (FOMO), job insecurity and the pressure to always be productive are a few.

According to a new study by Randstad India, about 35 to 40 per cent of employees surveyed in India said that they feel anxious to ask for leaves from their bosses.When a similar survey was done in America, about 39 per cent of workers agreed to feeling stressed and guilty about taking well-deserved offs.

Experts say that a lack of breaks and vacations can lead to mental health problems. And, the only way we can build up to courage to ask for those well-deserved offs is to work on our self-esteem. Know that you are doing better than average and that you deserve a few days away from your office desk.

Indians also feel that they are the most vacation-deprived people in the world and thatthey hardly take any "vacation time".According tothe 2018 vacation deprivation report, released by the online travel portal Expedia, 75 per cent of Indians feel vacation-deprived, which is the highest in the world, followed by South Korea and Hong Kong.The annual report spans across 19 countries and highlights that vacation deprivation is on the rise.

Before you bid adieu to us, take a look at the following tips to deal with your guilt.

1. Plan your leaves in advance and get them approved over email
2. Keep a backup. Make sure there’s at least one other person who can manage in your absence. It could be a peer or even your boss
3. Keep a handover list ready for your colleagues and allot tasks to people before your offs
4. And, lastly, always remember that your leave is your right and you shouldn't hesitate to ask for it