ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the economy still in the throes of a recession, nearly a third of Americans are postponing or reducing the amount of vacation they plan to take this year.

But scrimping on leisure, warns University of Rochester psychologist Richard Ryan, could backfire. His research finds that time away from work is critically important to a person's happiness, regardless of whether you swing a hammer or wield a scalpel to earn your living.

"Far from frivolous, time off from work provides critical opportunities for basic psychological needs of bonding with others, exploring interests and relaxing - opportunities that people should be careful not to crowd out with overwork," Ryan cautions.

Ryan, professor of psychology, psychiatry, and education, is recognized internationally for his three decades of groundbreaking work on human motivation and its impact on psychological research across cultures.

For more on Professor Ryan, view his expert's page at: http://www.rochester.edu/news/experts/index.php?id=157

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE University of Rochester

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