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@BarackObama played golf yesterday. Now he heads to a 10 day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard. Nice work ethic.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2011
This tweet from 2011 just came across my timeline. As I sat here in this luxury beanbag chair, I had a good laugh. First of all, I find humor in people going through our president’s old tweets. The entire concept of that being a thing that we do makes me question many things, and I can’t help but laugh. Second, I think that this is the perfect troll tweet. He calls the guy out for golf, something no man should ever do, hits him hard for a pending vacay, then really pulls out the flamethrower at the end. “Nice work ethic.” Game, set, match…point. Game over.
Not to go full-Salon, but this 17-day vacation seems excessive. Not in a “but he’s our president he should be governing” way, but more from a “that sounds like a complete beating” point of view. Who’s really trying to decompress for that long? I mean, Pat Green only needed three days to wash the road out of his soul. 17 days? That’s Will deFries territory.
So this got me thinking: what’s the ideal duration of a vacation? If it’s your classic staycation, something that is very popular in my current town of Austin, Texas, two full days and a little bleed-over is ideal. Take Friday off, get where you need to be as early as possible, and don’t even flirt with a 4:30 p.m. standstill on Mopac.
I think the same method applies to road trips, as long as we’re talking five hours or less. After 30, you should never be the person pulling up to Tanner’s lake house at PK after dark. That’s not the way to do it, man. Next thing you know you’ll be slamming drinks trying to play catch-up with the real power players who’ve been there all day, and you’ll end up maxing out night one. Be smart. And anything longer than five hours may not be worth the road trip to begin with. Use your points and book a flight. All about the points.
The real question here is what’s the sweet spot for your once (maybe twice?) a year, big daddy hacks vacation? I’m talking cross-country, across the pond, or if you’re in the Republic of Texas, across the state. Trips you’ve been planning for months, maybe even years. Think Tribeca. Tulum. Branson. Arlington, Texas if you’re trying to catch a ballgame and break the sound barrier on the Der Stuka.
My answer, and this may be highly controversial, is 11. Day 11 is what separates partners from the associates.
Take your Friday off. You don’t want to be scrambling around in the hours leading up to departure. That’s how traveler’s diarrhea happens, and nobody needs to be dropping 1.5s in the airport stall as they begin boarding Group 3. In theory, you’ll have two weekends at your destination, which is plenty of time to see what needs to be seen without growing to resent the person(s) accompanying you along the way.
Most importantly, though, is the following Monday. That’s day 11. Day 11 should never be a travel day. No, sir. That’s strictly for unpacking that suitcase which would otherwise sit there until you had no other choice but to do laundry. Let me conclude with this pro move: Open the lappy and do a little damage control. Firing off a few emails when you’re technically still on vacation is a power play. .
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Dave
Lawyer. Writer. Dude doing business. I'm the meatloaf guy from tv.
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Ideal vacay length? Forever, duh.
I expected “not having enough PTO to take one. PGP” but this works.
Getting 5 weeks vacation but still can’t go because you don’t have the money. PGP.
They try to play the “but look at your total compensation” at my company. If it’s not cash in my pocket it doesn’t matter because it’s the same benefits everywhere.
My employer is the worst at that. Your annual review/increase is broken down to show your total cost to the employer, so at first glance you get pretty hype, then you realize that includes the cost of all benefits, tax, etc, and in reality the cash to the bank is going up by about 0.5%.
Calling out those that don’t have enough PTO. PGPM
PTO is for poors who have to work. There’s no such thing as PTO when you live off a trust fund like I do
One week is the sweet spot for me. Leave early on a Saturday so you have that whole day, spend all week doing whatever you want (It’s your time, after all), and come back the next Friday whenever you want. That way you have the next Saturday and Sunday at home to serve as your “Vacation from your vacation” without having to immediately jump back into work, which is a jarring transition.
Just got back from a week-long family vacay to Mexico, and I can say with certainty that if it was any longer we would’ve ended up killing each other. But family vacations are in a category of their own.
You generally need a vacation from a family vacation.
Any vacation with family does not count as an actual vacation, spouse only
Just did a 16 day-er, came back a changed man. With two weekends and a federal holiday in there I only took 9 days off.
Hopefully you’re not so tired anymore?
I did almost the same thing right before 4th of July. Leave that Thursday night for Europe, no one works during the week of the 4th, ended up getting 17 days off, but really only missed like 8 or 9 real days of work.
17 days is a bit long though, near the end I was getting antsy to be back.
This math doesn’t check out. I can’t wait for someone to make me look stupid though because I know I’m missing something obvious
Leave Friday. Weekend, Monday off, 4 PTO. Weekend, 5 PTO, return Sunday night. 2 work weeks, 10 days + 3 weekends = 16. Shouldn’t have spent time doing this but shooters shoot
I’m an idiot: confirmed
What he said
Even if I had the PTO the only vacation I can afford consists of sitting on my couch. PGP
Staycations are heavily underrated
Great spin!
Two “tourist days”. Three or four “relax and do whatever days”. Two or three “guys golf, women spa” days. Plus however many travel days. A travel day should never be counted as a vacation day.
Listen David. Golf *IS* work when you are avidly skilled at the art of advancing a business relationship or even closing a deal during a round.
I don’t know what’s more concerning about the prospect of actually doing this: the fact that I’d blow all my PTO on one trip or the credit card bill after vacationing that long
Dave’s take couldn’t be more spot on. Tis the ignorant fool who lands at 8:30 on Sunday evening from a week off, thus ruining the entire thing.
Taking an 8-day cruise this month. First vacation longer than a 4 day weekend in 3 years, and I get that Monday, Labor Day, off. Could not be more excited.