“When did PTO become Part Time Off?”: 21 reactions from seasoned employees offering off-grid comebacks and advice

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  • 01

    "When Did PTO Become Part Time Off"

    "Stop working on your time off. Be unavailable. Set your boundaries"
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  • 02
    Generationally I feel like those of us that entered the workforce in the 90s got about 5-10 years of real PTO and then it all went to sh with digital leashes. Is there any way we will ever experience that again?
  • 03
    MikeyLew32 Stop working on your time off. Be unavailable. Set your boundaries.
  • 04

    Pack a bathing suit and all of your responsibilities

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  • 05
    MrBrawn I delete all company messaging apps and stop push notifications from email. If you don't set boundaries, nobody will.
  • 06
    AbstruseAlouatta I fully support this. I strongly suggest doing this every weekend and night as well. Not only will it help your mental health, but it will also eliminate any surprises. Fair or not (it isn't) people get angry when things change. If you are ALWAYS available and then try to go on vacation, that's when I've seen managers get angry.
  • 07
    Least Key1594 My boss will send us emails when were off, but if we reply she always (very supportively) goes 'You're on vacation quit checking work emai!' That is one of the many reasons, like rent and food, I have no intentions of leaving this specific job any time soon.
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  • 08
    Important-Button-430 I don't take my work computer anywhere anymore. 000 says, I will not be reachable. Nobody has my personal number. Stop giving access to yourself.
  • 09

    An office away from office

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  • 10
    Lieutenant_Horn This is why I always tell people I'll most likely be unreachable. They I activate an automated away message that says the same thing. Then I never answer any emails, phone calls, or text messages.
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  • 11
    robexib I work a job that cannot be done remotely and requires special licencing, so when I do take PTO, it's truly liberating that I can't do anything for anyone during, even if my direct superior does have my personal number.
  • 12
    Always make it clear that, during your PTO, you're going to be insufferably impossible to contact. Then do not answer when they call.
  • 13
    gargravarr2112 When I'm on PTO, I'm off the grid, as far as work cares. My immediate boss has my personal phone number for emergencies only, nobody else does. I don't check emails or IMs. I don't take my work laptop on holiday with me. If I'm on leave, I am not working. Draw the line.
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  • 14
    Employers have been nibbling away at our self- control, cos 'it'll take a couple of minutes!' is just too tempting for a little dose of those 'I accomplished something today!' endorphins. Being permanently online with a communication device in your pocket at all times is what made the situation what it is today. At least in the 90s-00s, data plans were pretty brutal. Now everybody has a smartphone with data included, it's no big deal to just hop online wherever you are.
  • 15
    Cast off the digital leash when you're on your own time. Work the hours you're paid for and zero more. If work wants you contactable out of hours, they must provide you with a phone and on-call pay. Most will balk at that.
  • 16
    JulesDeathwish I just literally sign out of Teams and turn off my phone at the end of work hours. It's never been a problem.
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  • 17
    Cheesy_DaBad PTO never became Part Time Off. You will experience proper PTO when you stop being a pushover.
  • 18
    randomly-what I've never - ever - checked my email on a vacation. It stops when people stop being pushovers.
  • 19
    Ok_Opportunity2693 This only happens because you let it. When I'm on PTO I turn off my work phone and laptop. I'll deal with anything when I get back.
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  • 20
    cliqclaqstepback Not me. When I'm off work, I am unavailable.
  • 21
    wet nib811 A big mistake rookies make is to have your cell service taken over by the company, so your personal cell becomes your company phone since they now pay for service. Always get a company phone.
  • 22
    Itstotallysafe I have a work phone that tracks me. I'm salaried and my boss thinks that makes me accessible 24/7. My company is very against WFH. Sometimes it's necessary and so they record WFH dates and like to hold them against us.
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  • 23
    I love it when they try to reach me when I take PTO. My response every single time is "Are we changing my PTO to WFH?". Because if I answer, that means I worked, and being salaried means any amount of work counts as a day worked as far as my state is concerned. Free PTO day given back!
  • 24
    Main-Yogurtcloset-82 My friend and her husband are in Spain on vacation. (We all live in the US). He had to call his boss because his coworkers and manager kept hassling him for work things. Like....
  • 25
    WorkdayDistraction You can decide to be unreachable as many here suggest, but the expectations on you are still there and if you don't meet them you're still responsible. I'm in sales so it's not acceptable for me to not call back a client for a week because I'm at the beach, or for any reason actually. Small price to pay to be digitally enabled to work from anywhere.
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