On Careers

How to Take a Vacation and Keep Your Job

August 19, 2009 RSS Feed Print

Comment (6)
Tweet

Karen Burns

Of course, a lot of folks are worried about taking any vacation at all this summer. Many are just hunkering down, hoping to squeak through this recession with their jobs intact.

[See how to stay off the layoff list.]

But let’s say you do intend on taking a vacation. (Good for you, by the way. Time off from work is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Overwork leads to exhaustion and chronic stress, which lead to poor health and low performance. Vacation makes you happier, healthier and more productive.)

The question is, how to take that vacation and not worry about the status of your job while you’re gone. Three thoughts:

1. Perform at your highest level right up to the moment your vacation starts. Do not plan your trip on company time. Do not brag to coworkers about where you’re going. Do not talk about how eager you are to get away. Instead, talk about how refreshed and ready to get back to work you’ll be when you return.

2. Leave your work organized, up to date, and very tidy. While you’re away, call or E-mail a couple of times. Just in case.

[See the secret to success in any job.]

3. The instant you return, resume doing a quality job. If possible, do even better work than before. Refrain from dragging around, moaning how much you miss the beach/the mountains/Paris/your backyard. Demonstrate all the good that vacation did you. Show you are happy to be back at work.

Bonus tip: Write a note to your boss thanking him or her for the time off. It can’t hurt. It’s classy. And, you know, good manners not only make you look good—they earn respect, and even gratitude.

Karen Burns, Working Girl, is the author of The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use. She blogs at karenburnsworkinggirl.com.

Tags:: careers

« Previous Post Next Post »

Reader Comments Read all comments (6)

Add Your Thoughts Comment Name State Email

Please enter the two words below into the text field underneath the image.

Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.

1. When you return bring a gift for your boss.
2. Bring some goodies (sweets etc.) for your co-workers.
3. Do not complain about 1500 emails in your inbox - either you read them ahead of time, or secretly catch up on them. If there are follow-up emails, follow up on the day you return.
4. Say how great it is to be back at work.

Sam Smith of CA 12:12PM July 08, 2010

Great suggestions! Vacation time is a perk, a benefit. Not everyone earns vacation time at the same rate. Unfortunately, many workers are beginning to act like vacation time is a right too. There was a day when we didn't automatically earn that paid time off. I think that a thank-you note is a nice touch. As the economy shrinks, and unemployment and inflation rise, those perks like liberal policies for earning paid time off could be one of the benefits on the chopping block to help keep companies alive. I think a little gratitude will go a long way.
Hey - CYMR0 of XX --- You write, "When I come back from vacation I make sure I'm in the office a few hours early - way before the boss gets in..." Isn't that doing something similar to the advice in this article? You are doing that little bit extra that the article suggests we do. I don't understand your venomous tone. You sound miserable and vindictive. Maybe you need a vacation?

Thankful in Florida of FL 5:29PM August 24, 2009

From my experience as a manager, I can say that if someone on my team followed your advice, they would stand out from the crowd in a great way. It can be challenging for everyone who remains when a team member is out of the work flow for a vacation. Your advice would help them to lessen the impact of their absence. Thanks for pointing it out so clearly.

Team Manager of AZ 5:05AM August 21, 2009