Memorial Day traditionally marks the start of vacation season. And why not? Summertime is upon us.

But the United States ranks among the worst countries for paid time off. Australia, Greece, Germany, Japan and Finland all have plenty of holidays and paid holidays. A few countries rank lower than the United States, including Vietnam and Thailand.

What’s a gal to do? I’ve learned that for my mental health, I need a vacation every quarter. I tally up my days off and divide them equally among the four quarters. Even when I only had two weeks vacation, I would schedule one week off and use the other week to sprinkle “treat days” throughout the year. Those days came in handy in months when there were no paid holidays.

I’ve learned that for me having a day on the calendar already scheduled helps keep me sane and provides a welcome break just when I’m desperate for it.

My next trip? I’m off to Chicago for the NFPW conference. The conference I can count as work, which is nice, but I’m also going to take the pre-tour architectural river cruise and I’m taking three days of vacation for the “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” post-tour.

If you’re ready for a break, check out the NFPW conference and tours. I guarantee it will be a vacation worth planning.