I’d be the first to tell you that maternity leave-even a generous one spanning a few months-is no day at the beach.

I’ve had three of them, and it’s an existence lived between a nap and a nap, cramming into two-hour chunks feedings, diapers and laundry. Lots of laundry. It’s also 3 a.m. jaunts on the treadmill in a dual attempt to put that baby strapped to your body to sleep while shedding those excess pounds. And in your most vulnerable moments, it’s regretting the fact that you put your name on the Do Not Call list, because the adult interaction afforded by telemarketers is suddenly a welcome diversion from maternal bliss.

But I will say one thing about maternity leave: It’s a nice break from work, the kind of break that’s increasingly rare. When you’re on leave caring for a newborn, no one expects you to check in via phone or e-mail. Since the only clothing you can wear are sweats, you have another excuse for staying home. In short, you can enjoy weeks without deadlines, office politics, schedules and routines-all that stuff that equals your life on the job. And take it from someone who’s been there, those unencumbered weeks offer a new and refreshing perspective on work. For one thing, I no longer take it so seriously. Yes, boss, I remain committed to my job, and I always strive to do good work. But once I leave the office at the end of each day, whether I succeed suddenly has less bearing on my life and no impact on my ego.

In a world where (according to the Families and Work Institute) many Americans don’t take all of their vacation time, and where cell phones and laptops are packed before bathing suits and sunscreen, long spells away from the office for any reason other than serious ill-health are unheard of. It’s little wonder that stress rates are high and employees have a burnout rate reminiscent of a Silicon Valley dotcom. It’s a vicious cycle. With recent layoffs, the remaining employees work harder. The harder they work, the more they need a break. But with layoffs in their rearview mirrors and the fear of more ahead, the less likely they are to allow themselves to take one.

The Mania for Work

Needless to say, an environment that emphasizes work without play is unhealthy. And anything that’s unhealthy has to be bad for business in the long run.