41 percent of Americans don't use their vacation days

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It’s pretty safe to assume that you’re reading this hunched over at your desk. You may have just returned from a week at the beach. Odds are, you did not.

According to a new study by the US Travel Association, 41 percent of Americans intend to leave their hard-earned vacation days on the table this year, admitting not only that they haven't taken them all, but that they actually have NO plans to. WTF? And there're still four months left!

What's holding Americans back from taking time off? Here are the top five excuses:

5. “Not taking vacation makes me look good! I look super dedicated”.
4. “What if someone replaces me?”
3. “I just can’t afford a getaway”.
2. “No one can do what I do -- who will do my job while I’m gone?"
1. “But there will be a mountain of work waiting for me when I get back! How ever will I manage?”

Stop making excuses America -- use your damn vacation days!


Sophie-Claire Hoeller is Thrillist's über-efficient German associate travel editor, and has had frequent flyer status since she was born in a Lufthansa terminal. Follow her @Sohostyle