I recently took a family vacation to the beach, where I was sure I was going to relax and enjoy time away from the office … until I started the “party foul.”

Every night I would check my work email to make sure everything was going smoothly and to delete spam so I wouldn’t be overloaded when I returned to the office.

It wasn’t until I responded to an email and got the following response – “Not supposed to be looking at or answering emails while on vacation! Serious party foul!!” -- that I realized what I was doing.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that I’m a perfectionist and I always make sure every person I work with is happy. I was doing just that, so what was the big deal?

The problem was that I wasn’t taking the time I needed to destress and recharge from my daily routine. According to a survey from Glassdoor, when employees take time off, over 60 percent still do some work.

We’re in a world where we’re glued to our electronic devices and are always on the go. Relaxing is not one of our fortes.

According to a 2014 Oxford Economics Assessment of paid time off in the U.S. 42 percent of employees with PTO finished the year with unused days, leaving an average of 8.1 days unused.

It’s been shown that taking vacation improves efficiency and performance ratings within the workplace. Ernst & Young found that “for each additional 10 hours of vacation employees took, their year-end performance ratings from supervisors improved by 8 percent.” Retention rates also improved.

With that said, it’s time to take that vacation for the following reasons:

Take a break from your brain: Research from Oxford has shown that employees' productivity increases when they’re working 35-50 hours a week -- depending on job structure and occupation – and doubles for vacations. When you have physical distance from a problem, you’re able to come up with more creative solutions.

You will become healthier: Mansfield Clinic research showed that for women, taking vacation helps decrease depression and will increase marital satisfaction. For men, it was compared that for individuals who didn’t take a vacation in five years, they were more likely to experience coronary events than those who took a vacation every year.

Actually get away from the office: If you’re consistently checking your email, you won’t be able to clear your mind from work. You need downtime and rest in order to be fresh and energized for the next day. Your vacation will do the same from your workplace. Taking at least a few days away from the office will help you become more energized when you return.

I’ve always heard the saying that work ethic and long hours mean dedication and higher productivity. After doing some research, I think times have changed. Being overworked is out – being well-balanced is in. Take a vacation.