Work + Money

Friday, July 4, 2008

Cubicle Coach: The vacation day

Getty Images

Getty Images

One of my responsibilities at Marie Claire is assisting our managing editor, Leslie, who controls the budgets and the nitty-gritty workings of the magazine. She makes sure we’re on track for deadlines, hiring, and of course, approves everyone’s favorite: vacation days.

Our vacation cards are electric blue, but the days themselves, precious and few as they are, might as well be gold. Everyone carefully adds their days to the sheet, and sends to their manager, and finally, to Leslie, to sign and approve the days off. Around this time of year, when the weather starts getting nicer, the fluorescent vacation cards come out, piling up on Leslie’s desk. But instead of reveling in the vacation days, more often than not, everyone seems scared and a little guilty, as they hesitantly place it on her desk and wait nervously to find out if their wishes to be out of the office for a few days have been granted. I can’t help but be super-jealous of the standard French 6-week vacation. To relax and not feel guilty for 6 whole weeks would be heaven. Why all the guilt in America? Don’t we earn a few days off once in a while?

What’s it like in your office—do you feel this way when you take a vacation? Where are you going this year?



Posted by Eileen

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From the Community…

Comments 1-6 of 6
  • In the South's Avatar
    Posted by In the South Thu May 15, 2008 1:52pm PDT

    I do take my two vacations a year, but yes... why do American's always feel so guilty about putting in for them and then sit around cringing while we wait for the verdict.

    One of the reasons is that in smaller offices, the kids all have holidays/vacations at the same time so everyone always tries to take the same week off it seems - very stressful.

    I feel a lot of stress about it until I actually get in the car and leave the office for the day of vacation. I then enjoy it, but the stress really builds on Sunday night. I've found a good stress releaser is to actually cheat and check your work emails Sunday night so you at least know what you're walking into the next day.

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  • Rita's Avatar
    Posted by Rita Thu May 15, 2008 2:09pm PDT

    Seriously...80 hours a year? What kind of vacation is that? And that includes sick days as well. That's just impossible.

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  • she with the little feet!!!!'s Avatar
    Posted by she with the little feet!!!! Fri May 16, 2008 5:49am PDT

    I consider myself pretty luck to get 80 hours of vacation time a year, and that at least at my place of employment, sick and personal time are NOT included in this number.

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  • heather.senger's Avatar
    Posted by heather.senger Fri May 16, 2008 10:29am PDT

    I guess I'm a little lucky on this front since I'm a marketing consultant. I just inform my clients I won't be available on certain days. ...Of course, I usually plan my vacations and days off around them, so maybe I do feel a little of that guilt.

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  • karebare6915's Avatar
    Posted by karebare6915 Tue May 20, 2008 8:20am PDT

    Gee, y'all make my vacation time sound like a sabbatical. I get 4 weeks a year, but can accrue up to 8 weeks. Anything over 8 weeks is use it or lose it. This doesn't include sick.

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  • BEADBUNNY's Avatar
    Posted by BEADBUNNY Tue May 20, 2008 2:13pm PDT

    I have 4 weeks vacation a year, and after next year I will have 5. I take days as I need them, usually try to make holidays into 4 day weekends!!

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Comments 1-6 of 6

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