If it’s a long vacation I check email for 10 minutes before bed just so I can delete anything unimportant and not have to come home to a stuffed inbox. I reply to nothing until I return, since my auto-reply is pretty explicit about who to reach out to.

Anonymous wrote:The answer is:  it depends.

CEO and people in senior leadership positions are never disconnected from work.  For people that are completely disconnected from work when they are on vacation, it means that they are likely people not in "critical" roles so when there is a downturn in the economy, they will likely be the first to be let go. 

I work in technology so I am never disconnected from work when I am on vacation.  MYMV.

I disconnect at the end of each work day and have never been unemployed. Work smarter, not harder.

I’ve worked in a few places where the CEO and other very visible leaders disconnect - and tell everyone who they need to if something pops up. It’s a GREAT example to set.

At my current job, we do OOO plans and folks really step up to cover. It’s great.

I was just talking to my manager about this. I try to disconnect and I don't do any hard-core jobs, but truth be told I love what I do. So even when I'm not working I'm working. I was frustrated on vacation because there was a paper I wanted to read that I had downloaded that I never got a chance to read because the family kept sending me on drives or I'd have to play with the kids (I love playing with the kids too but its a differeny type of joy), or I'd have to talk to family. So really to me it wasn't a vacation, it was on the clock family time.

Ideally I could have some time where I am away from work but with an hour or two to myself to work on some of my ideas. Right now, I don't get that. But I guess parents don't get vacations.

Disconnect. I do not take work laptop or phone. As a PP said, key work colleagues have my mobile number and very occasionally text when absolutely necessary.

No, I am not a CEO - I believe that would be a different situation. I don’t have an inflated sense of my indispensability but also don’t worry I will be fired for not being important enough.

Bottom line: no one will die if I take leave so I take it.

I almost always fully disconnect. I never check email on vacation. I tell a couple key coworkers to text me if something massive happens but that has only happened once or twice in 15 years (and was appropriate given the context). You are probably not as important as you think you are. If you don't respond to someone for a few days what is really going to happen? My out of office message says I'm not checking emails and will respond when I return on X date. I've noticed more and more people have similar messages.

In my current role, yes. I made it a priority from day one.

I spent 15 years being on all the time and a major part of why I took this job was because I'd be able to set those boundaries.

I disconnect b/c I work for the IC and can’t do my work outside of my office. I might check my unclass email 1x on leave or the night before I go back in, but rarely is there anything I need to respond to on that system.

Sometimes I wish I could stay connected a bit while on leave, but I think it is probably better for me not to be able to.

The answer is:  it depends.

CEO and people in senior leadership positions are never disconnected from work.  For people that are completely disconnected from work when they are on vacation, it means that they are likely people not in "critical" roles so when there is a downturn in the economy, they will likely be the first to be let go. 

I work in technology so I am never disconnected from work when I am on vacation.  MYMV.

Fully disconnect.

It is not good for your mental health and actually your job performance if you don't get real, restorative breaks.

Plus, what you're saying to your subordinates is, "I don't trust you." And you don't. If you trusted them, you'd know they can step in for a week and handle things. "I trust them but worry I'll miss something critical" is bullsh*t, and they know it.

What you CAN do is give your most trusted or highest ranking subordinate your personal email address or personal cell number and tell them that if THEY need help, they can reach out to you. Give them control. Don't micromanage.

I have never fully disconnected. I also have t gone on a vacation in 5 years … ugh that’s depressing

The worst is when the organization says they support disconnecting yet publicly praises employees who work while on vacation.

Anonymous wrote:Those of you that don't disconnect fully when on PTO, what do you think will happen to your work responsibilities if you suddenly die? Things will go on, maybe people will stumble around a bit, but the organization will not fall apart. Get over yourselves!!

I posted earlier that I still do some work on vacation. I do not it for the company - I previously learned the hard way that “you may love your job but your job doesn’t love you back.”

That said, I really do like the people I work with. So I work to make my reports’ life easier because sometimes only I can intervene/answer a question/approve a change.
Its also selfish because I hate tackling a stressful pile of work that has built up while I am gone.

Those of you that don't disconnect fully when on PTO, what do you think will happen to your work responsibilities if you suddenly die? Things will go on, maybe people will stumble around a bit, but the organization will not fall apart. Get over yourselves!!

I fking wish!

But I did that last summer for my first 5-day vacation in like 3 years and spent the next month after my return getting caught up. No one covers another person's duties where I work unless they are on maternity leave or extended medical leave.

I did a week vacation in May and set strict limits for myself. I checked my email each morning and completed the pressing things from the time I woke up until 10am. After that, I was fully disconnected for the day. I would sometimes check my email later that evening/night while resting after activities, but not each night. Honestly, this method made my vacation and coming back from the vacation so much more enjoyable.

I didn't roll into work that Monday morning after vacay with 243 emails and multiple Teams chats of "I know you just got back, but I need XYZ ASAP. Like 5 mins ago! Sorry!"