PT”NO”
August 12, 2022
Written by: Jay Looch
It is Friyay! A few more hours of bull shit to push through. Sprint through the finish line and the weekend beers will taste so much better I promise. With that said, these weekends aren’t long enough. Giving us 2 days to really live our lives is pretty shitty compared to the 5 days of nonstop labor. One comment heard throughout the office daily is “I need a vacation”. And oh my is it true. I have the hours so why not take them?
PTO is always a sticky situation. You add up these hours that you either lose at the end of the year or keep on building up forever. The hours are there, why not just use them? Well, that's where it gets sticky. You get the traditional, “ oh your going on another vacation” comment from the peanut gallery. Or the “how come you are taking off today” comment from the boss. How about a simple answer…I worked my ass off the last 130 days, I want to use my 8 hours I banked and sit my ass down with a cold beer. I want to shut down for a day that isn't on a Saturday or Sunday and do something I actually enjoy. The guilt from peers/higher ups when using paid time off is a legit thing. Whether they are “just joking” or not, you know that the comments have some sort of meaning behind them.
The only downside of using your paid time off is playing the catch up game when you get back. It's that feeling everytime that somehow the days you missed were the busiest days of your career. Now you find yourself scrambling to get the work done, while trying to keep up with the work coming in. Absolutely tiring and makes you say the golden comment again. “I need a vacation”...Thus the corporate circle of life is born.
Moral of the story is this:
You’re always going to be chasing your tail and running in circles in the office. It doesn’t end. Don’t worry about the work you missed or the work you need to make up. Don’t worry about what the person next to you has to say about your 3rd vacation of the year. Don’t let your boss guilt you in for wanting a day to recharge the batteries. If you have the hours, use the hours. You have them because you worked hard for them. You have a life to live and that life doesn’t have to involve the corporate bull shit.