Good morning everyone! We hope that this weekend brought relaxation and a break from the obligations of a daily work routine. Today, we’re here to talk about a topic that I’m sure is on many of your minds as of recently… PTO during the holidays! Paid time off, especially as the year wraps up, is a common time that people use to bundle up their days off, travel out of their cities or states, and otherwise unplug from their year of work. So, what does that mean for this year and what should you do to plan ahead? Keep reading here to find out…

Scheduling PTO…

• Planning Ahead: Planning ahead so that you are able to mitigate leaving a high workload to your team and coworkers is the best way to execute PTO smoothly. Whether tax season, campaign launch, end of the year, the beginning of the year, or any other seasonal overload, it is best to avoid leaving the office when the rest of your team and workforce is pushing over time. With the less work left at home, the greater the amount of time you will be able to spend relaxing and unplugging from electronics!
• Coordination: The most important aspect of leaving your office for a significant period of time (anything more than one week) is keeping everyone up to date with your plans and setting expectations. Make sure to coordinate your deligations far in advance to ensure your team, managers, mentors, and all employees are made well aware of your departure before it happens (we recommend at least one month in advance!).
• Open Conversation: We hope that this doesn’t come around too often, but be sure to be transparent about your intent to take a few days off with your coworkers. Sneaking the days or otherwise trying to keep it on the DL may result in your teammates being given work that they didn’t have the chance to account time for. Keeping an open approach and flexibility about your hopeful break is the best way to keep everyone in the loop and happy!
• Across Time or Bundled: If you run yourself too thin across responsibilities, you may end up resenting the office, your teammates, or your role. Remember, you are afforded PTO for a reason… use it! Regardless of the way you distribute these days, affording yourself a three day weekend, a week off, holiday break, or any sum of time throughout the year is a lovely way to recharge, relax, and reprive yourself of your usual routine.

Above all, this has been a long and tough year for many of us. It is time for a BREAK! Allowing yourself space and time to recharge is essential to creating meaningful work in the future. So cozy up with a blanket and some Netflix, and enjoy the last few days of the year!