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Unfortunately, summer is the busy season in my line of work. As a result, I never seem to have enough time nor energy to do all that I would like to do during the best three months of the year. This year, I decided to take a stand for all things summer and put in for some vacation time for the week of the 4th. My company is pretty good about vacation time from what I can tell because I have heard some sad stories here in our PGP community. However, I was actually a bit surprised they approved my time.
I can count the number of people in my department on one hand, so whenever someone takes vacation, it is one-week long fire drill to put out the flames as they pop up. I know how awful it is when someone else leaves, so I can’t help but feel bad for the poor bastards I work with because I know what awaits them next week. Which is why I sit here, a few days out from my vacation with the guilt of a five-year-old old who just got caught elbow deep in the cookie jar. All of us are working 50+ hours a week because we are understaffed as it is. And now I am just walking out the door for a week of beaches, lakes, golf, and BBQs.
I should be excited, and part of me is. However, I haven’t quite gotten to the point in my career where I can say “piss off” when someone asks for my help. I am pretty good about keeping work at work. But this vacation will truly test my fuck-off attitude. It is one thing to unplug for a night. An entire week is different. Over-under is set at 150 unread emails if I hold out.
It is sad that I know I am not alone in feeling this “vacation guilt” as I guess I will call it. Always being connected to work with our cell phones, fighting the good fight and running this rat race trying to get ahead. Vacations are necessary for mental health and I am thankful to be able to take advantage of this beautiful weather and extend the three-day weekend to a week long hiatus. Maybe my play is to drop my phone in the drink on hole 8 and just forget about it. No phone, no guilt. But then no one can see my fire Snap story. And at that point, is it even worth it? .
Image via Shutterstock
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@207Cush
Don’t ever feel bad. They would can you at a moment’s notice if you and your position some how impacted their bottom line. Enjoy the weekend because you’re gonna have decades upon decades of time spent at work to make up for the few enjoyable days you had on your vacation.
Vacationing as well but still looking at the PGP app. PGP. But yes, you make me feel better about it as well.
This feeling is why I have a separate work phone. Don’t have to be bothered with people’s emails and calls and can still make a fire snap story.
Don’t feel bad. Your supervisor knew the expected workload and would not have let you take time off if it was absolutely imperative that you work. Enjoy the weekend and don’t think about anything work related until next week.