For those of us who have jobs that offer paid time off (PTO), about 41% say they don’t plan to use all of it this year, according to a new study by the U.S. Travel Association.

Why is this possibly bad for an employee?

Well, vacation is natural a time to relax, recharge, and renew so without this, workers may not be reaching their full potential and may be even hurting themselves.

Findings reveal companies that encourage their workers to take their PTO have more productive employees, according to the Travel Effect website.

About 74% of workers who use their PTO also reported to have happier personal lives.

Not only are their personal lives better, employees who worked in jobs that encouraged them to take their PTO said they are “extremely happy” with their jobs.

So next time, you’re contemplating vacation and fear you could be replaced or your work won’t get done, think about the effect not taking time off has on you, not just your work life but also your personal life.

Is it worth it to you to give up that paid time off?