This is your sign to book a day off.
This is your sign to book a day off.
No need to go anywhere - except away from your laptop.
The algorithm has finally figured me out, and shows me near-exclusively 3 types of videos: Wedding dresses, dogs with babies, and Switzerland travel inspo. What this probably tells you is: I’m getting married, I really want a dog, and I googled “places to go in Zurich” a few weeks ago.
TikTok and Instagram make it easy for us to see so many perfectly-dressed humans taking vacations.
And yes, while watching them live their best (curated) lives, it is VERY tempting to check our balance of unused vacation days, look up plane ticket prices, and start an ambitious trip checklist.
I love a “5 Views You Need to See in Switzerland” reel as much as the next person, and I do save them for the next time I’m planning to travel.
But consuming a lot of this content also makes it easy to trick ourselves into thinking the best way to recharge is by leaving our regularly scheduled lives.
We think: All we need is some fresh mountain air, or seaside sunshine, or that perfect bowl of pasta at sunset, and all will be right as rain.
Truly, though: The best time off you can take for yourself might not involve any travel at all.
Let’s think about time off as any and all types of time away from work. Not just those where you skip time zones.
A nicer definition of “time off”
Time away from work is crucial for our mental and physical health, our relationships, and for ourselves.
Which is why time off should be used for any time you’d like to be fully present in your non-work life.
Valid and valuable time off for you could mean:
Taking a half day to go to a yoga workshop or class in your city
Taking a full day when you land in a new country so you can be jet lagged in peace
Taking a Friday or Monday to give yourself a nice three-day weekend to watch Netflix in peace
Taking a day to celebrate your friend, partner or spouse’s birthday
Scheduling a day for life admin (because for some reason doctor’s offices, dentists and other places are only open on weekdays)
Take a day or two off after finishing a big project to sleep in
You contain multitudes, which means you have more to you than work mode and holiday mode. Life admin mode is just as valid and deserves its day.
Also, travel can really drain you. There are fewer reels about this, but losing your passport, not being able to check in to your hotel until 2pm despite being jet lagged to hell, the not-cute process of taking a heavy suitcase on and off trains, the credit-card/post-vacation blues, etc. all can take a toll. The “I need a vacation from my vacation” feeling is real, so don't feel pressured to travel. You can relax really, really well at home too.
Ok, yes to all kinds of time off. How much time off should I have?
We have to talk about the (exhausted) elephant in the room: bad work policies and a general disrespect for time away from work.
As someone who runs a business in Europe, I have to legally provide a statutory minimum of time off plus public holidays, which usually means full-time employees get around 6 weeks (30 days) off.
I bring this up not because the advice I’d give to an American employee and a European employee are different, but because I want you to realise:
It is indeed possible to give people more than 8 days off a year.
Your employer (or client) should be factoring this into their costs.
If they won’t, you need to.
If you’re working somewhere (or with someone) where you aren’t getting very many days off, I invite you to bring it up in your next raise/promotion discussion, or have a number in mind for when you receive your next job offer/calculate your next rate.
I wish it was something you didn’t have to push for, but it is. If you want more days, ask for more days. Don’t be scared - be like Warren Buffet 👇
As for how many? Here’s a quick mathematics exercise to get you started.
How many (if any) week-long trips do you plan to take in the next two years? How many would you LIKE to take?
How many (if any) big family celebrations, reunions, or weddings are you planning to go to in the next two years?
What ‘state/public’ holidays do you get off now, and how many extra days would you like to have so these days could become a week? I.e., being completely off between Christmas and January 2, 2023.
And then add in: How many other ‘random life’ days would make you more productive or fulfilled? Think: 3-day weekends, all day workshops, life admin days, etc.
Add it all up.
Then: I recommend you ask for exactly this amount of days, or a few more.
Why? It’s easy to talk yourself down by thinking, “Well maybe work will be quiet that week and I can just be partially online,” or “maybe I’ll earn some lieu days before then.”
But any day where you are responsible for answering messages and even being on calls is not a day you are off. I’d wager that you’re actually stressing yourself out MORE by juggling trying to be your work and non-work self at the same time. 🫠
Respect the demands of your life and your need for time outside of work - get to a number, and ask for it.
And if your current workplace can’t give it to you, that is helpful information for you too.
Whether you want to use it to think about getting a new job, or if it is good food for thought as you evaluate your workplace for all of its benefits.
How do I get better at taking time off, and/or using my time off to actually recharge?
Great questions to be tackled this month! We’re sharing:
✅ Helpful tips on how to be actually restored by time away from work (instead of thinking about it constantly)
✅ Suggestions for how to not be afraid of taking time off (including how to deal with your employer, human-in-charge, clients, etc.)
✅ And our monthly Nice Work Advice Column, where we’d love to answer your specific questions about how to navigate time away from work, how to ask for MORE time off, and other thorny situations related to not being at work! Send them in by responding to this email, commenting, or DMing us on Instagram.
PS. Our paid subscribers get an extra-long advice column, as well as extra guides, downloadables and other perks through the month - all for €5.
I would say see you next week, but I’m off next week! I’m taking my own advice to go offline from all things work to do some life(long) admin. In other words: to go get married! Bad pun, I know.
You’re in Jade’s capable hands until then, and I hope at least one of these newsletters lands in your similarly OOO-set inbox.
Love,
Rachel
Helpful reading until then:
If you’re new to Nice Work and are a freelancer/consultant, read this edition on setting rates that work for you. We talk specifically about how to factor in “time off” into your hourly rate.
If you’re new to Nice Work and you’re an employee, take a read through this (very direct) issue on money truths. We tackle some of the economics of time off which is good to have at hand.
If you struggle justifying that you should have or take time off, we invite you to read this edition on setting boundaries with and at work, as well as this edition about the value of doing less. TL;DR: Everyone deserves to rest.