do you find yourself checking out? do you make yourself available all day? what's your status?
hurtscuzimold
Working on vacation
Do you work on vacation?
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35
No. Vacation time is sacred time.
Yup. If my boss calls me on vacation it better be because my office is on fire and he's calling to tell me he saved my plants and snacks.
Gotta save the snacks
If it's the DM they can get time - they're making or breaking my next vacation anyway.
Very good point Beansy
I keep an eye on my inbox via phone but try not to open my laptop unless a contract needs to be sent for sig
Docusign and QuickBooks app on my phone are lifesavers!!
No working during vacation. Although I just check my mails once a day.
I’ll send emails that morning and if I get anything they will be answered that afternoon if there is downtime at the hotel
That’s a responsible salesperson there
I mean if being plastered and sending a canned email response on vacation is responsible then I’ll take it lol
Also your name is killin me 🤣
It’s killing me too. Literally lol
I'd like to be better about not working on vacation... but it's so much easier to check emails in the morning and keep the Inbox tame.
Agreed. Coming back from vacation with an unchecked inbox is a nightmare of an anxiety attack.
I always end up doing something but I refuse to more than an hour of work.
While I may peek at my inbox, I never try to work during vacation.
Good for you happy. If I see an email that needs responding and I ignore it I may walk around with a twitch all day
Not at all! I will check my email at night for URGENT issues only. Otherwise, the time to disconnect and enjoy life will leave me more productive for when I return.
I like your style
I struggle with being able to completely unplug and go off the grid. You may not get what you need, but you will at least getting a response acknowledging that I received your message and will take care of it when I can.
Sid, you've described an out of office.
I’m saying you will receive an actual response. I wouldn’t consider an OOO an acknowledgment I received your message if it’s just an auto reply to your email. If anything that means I haven’t seen it yet.
That’s responsible and responsive. Fair but balanced. I like it.
Depends on the vacation. In Montana for a week - guess what? Cell phone is spotty in some areas. Darn. No work possible while traveling. Chaperoning a kid to camp out of state? Working!
I have found that checking email and ensuring that there are no fires/and or they're being handled keeps me relaxed. It's a balance.
I have found that checking email and ensuring that there are no fires/and or they're being handled keeps me relaxed. It's a balance.
Great point. Sometimes work is a good escape
Chaperoning a kid to camp out of state? Working! Been there, so funny and TRUE!
My boss and any important client will know how to reach me if it's an emergency, but I also set up a counterpart and expect them to handle things while I am away. Most of the time it works.
My boss and any important client will know how to reach me if it's an emergency, but I also set up a counterpart and expect them to handle things while I am away. Most of the time it works.
I have done the out of state camp several times. I worked from the resort we stayed at that was near the camp. Kid was skating, husband was playing golf, and I was working from a beautiful location for a week.
But boy, was that internet reaaaaallly bad sometimes. :)
But boy, was that internet reaaaaallly bad sometimes. :)
I used to work on vacation but no more. It ruined the trip and experience. I've learned to rely on my co-workers and I do the same for them <3
Did not crack the computer open after 1:30 on July 1.
On the 5th, came back to a 9:30a 1:1 (had been calendared on June 30 tbf), followed by a 1-3pm deal review meeting, followed by another meeting to discuss my plan of attack on the deal bc i disagreed with suggestions from the team about next steps on the deal review....so by 12 hrs back, i'd spent 4 hours in meetings... most of it not very helpful.
Thank the SalesGods above I didn't open the computer over the long-weekend otherwise I'd need a mental health day tomorrow to process the long-term effects of make-work.
On the 5th, came back to a 9:30a 1:1 (had been calendared on June 30 tbf), followed by a 1-3pm deal review meeting, followed by another meeting to discuss my plan of attack on the deal bc i disagreed with suggestions from the team about next steps on the deal review....so by 12 hrs back, i'd spent 4 hours in meetings... most of it not very helpful.
Thank the SalesGods above I didn't open the computer over the long-weekend otherwise I'd need a mental health day tomorrow to process the long-term effects of make-work.
I used to be one that was always willing to jump on an important call even when on vacation but I finally realized that nothing is that important. Plan your time accordingly; dont take off during critical times, but take off when you can and actually unplug
It used to be “vacation? what vacation?” i’d normally take Fridays for three day trips abroad (Europe lol) and nobody would call me.
But during pandemic, I took a three day PTO because I was doing horrible mentally - think tears rolling from eyes as I was dragged to customer calls I had no business attending to. All cheery voice, but thank lord no cameras.
worked 3/3 during that PTO. in retrospect, I know it was because my manager wanted me to distract myself and not dwell on my depression for three days straight. I kinda thought it was normal back then. That was how we worked.
Switched jobs. Took 1 days off to attend a wedding. I was so nonchalant, the only thing I did was attending to a call for 15 mins “as a favour”. I don’t think I can ever go back from this. If it’s PTO, i’m off the grid. The end.
But during pandemic, I took a three day PTO because I was doing horrible mentally - think tears rolling from eyes as I was dragged to customer calls I had no business attending to. All cheery voice, but thank lord no cameras.
worked 3/3 during that PTO. in retrospect, I know it was because my manager wanted me to distract myself and not dwell on my depression for three days straight. I kinda thought it was normal back then. That was how we worked.
Switched jobs. Took 1 days off to attend a wedding. I was so nonchalant, the only thing I did was attending to a call for 15 mins “as a favour”. I don’t think I can ever go back from this. If it’s PTO, i’m off the grid. The end.
Thanks so much for sharing this
I always say I’m going to get some work done in the mornings. It doesn’t always work out though. 8)
My boss can absolutely try to reach me, but I'll be ignoring calls and emails for the most part. I make sure to leave someone else in charge of my responsibilities while I'm gone.
Vacation is the one time you can get clear your head and
not think about work. If you are making calls that isn’t vacation.
Vacation is sacred space. But I will try to get in a few side hustles a boost when in a bigger free time.
Listen, your employeer WANTS you to take this time off. If you do work during it then you WILL NOT come back fresh and we need you fresh, period
I don’t think they do want me to take off. But I need to be fresh. Agreed
Vacations are exclusive for me and gurl <3
This one is tough (still). IMO - sales professionals are driven by the close and will not relent. For our family, the best vacations are between jobs, end of year before quota is released and a close third is never.
Trying to take more vacations, but limiting them to a couple workdays at a time. Sometimes in the summer I'll take two long weeks. But when I'm on vacation, I'm at least checking the email. Sometimes you find money in there!
I rarely take vacations longer than 2 days tagged onto a weekend type of thing.
But when I do, I block my calendar and only take calls if they are high priority prospects or urgent.
I’m always checking emails still and pretty reachable if needed….just how the business is
husband time :D
I'd keep myself free for 20-30 minutes but once the 30 minute mark goes by I can guarantee I'll pick up the phone. Other clients to deal with, I'm sure they will understand.
I always make myself available to my clients and home office but it is rarely needed, and my company actually does a great job of leaving you alone during vacation..
If it’s important enough to affect an opportunity or my flow of income, it’s important enough to pause the vacation for a few mins.
If it’s important enough to affect an opportunity or my flow of income, it’s important enough to pause the vacation for a few mins.
I find it healthy to ignore as much from work as possible while on vacation.
Maybe check emails in the morning for anything urgent. Obviously if a prospect writes to me I might give a quick reply.
Maybe check emails in the morning for anything urgent. Obviously if a prospect writes to me I might give a quick reply.
I used to do it, but one quick email ruined some valuable time with the family and isn't worth it.
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How often do you check your work emails when on vacay?
34%
I may as well be back at work I check it that often
47%
Probably once a day / every other day
16%
Never, this is me time
2%
Other (comment)
97 people voted
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