I think of holidays as bonus days. While there’s usually a purpose and a reason why the day has been recognized, I’m always grateful for a non weekend day that I’m not sitting in front of my computer in my cubicle. Traditionally I’ve had jobs that required me to be there regardless of what holiday it was. Hospitals don’t close so there’s an expectation that you’ll be working on the days that almost everyone else doesn’t have to. It’s interesting for me how other countries have more holidays and offer so much more flexibility in work time than in the States. I spoke to someone recently who took two weeks off from her job and she said it was the first vacation she had had in three years. Dedication is great but sometimes you have to take a few bonus days on your own and decompress. Even if it means taking a mental health break once in a while.