We are at the time of year when Swedes go on their holiday or vacation as Americans’ say. According to the newspaper Dagens Industri the most popular weeks for holiday leave are the weeks 29, 30 and 31, which this year corresponds to the period 17 July – 6 August. This probably because July and the beginning of August usually are the hottest time in Sweden. These weeks also coincide with the classic industrial holiday. Industrial holiday is an accepted term that refers to four weeks in July, when many factories used to shut down for holidays, all at the same time. Even if there are far fewer factories and, with that, less people work in this sector these are the week many Swedes have their holiday.

But I’m not here to tell you about Swedish vacation law (which gives people the right to 25 days of vacation where you have the right to take four of them continuously. Not to forget people in Sweden actually use their vacation rights, they usually take three to four weeks during the summer and saves the fifth to whisk off to a slope during the winter), I’m here to talk about the phenomenon of the Swedes working harder during their holiday and wonder if there is any sense to have this period of leave?

As you know the Mr and I went to Italy for a week hence five of his 30 day were used (yes, he has more vacation than 25 days, I’m self employed, I have unlimited or no vacation). Personally it doesn’t matter what I do or where I do stuff on my leave, (even if I love to travel) as long as I can do whatever I want to do and spend a majority of the time doing nothing, or at least have no plans/obligations to do anything. When I’m off I have a need to do nothing and just take the day as it comes.

I fully respect that we are all different and have different needs, but if people (as many claim they are) are so stressed by their work, why don’t they take the opportunity to do nothing when they can? Sometimes it feels like the ones who does the most during the four weeks of holiday wins – a heart attack..

As I’m self employed I usually follow my client’s and projects members’ leave and the last years I’ve only (by choice) had an assignment rate of 60%. With this I have had a very comfortable pace, not making me stressed during work and not needing to push in everything into the weeks I’m off (or unassigned). But still it feels horrible if I would have been needed to run everywhere, making sure I would get all things done by the end of holiday and be just as stressed as before.