In today's fast-paced world, where stress and tension are an integral part of everyday life, paid annual leave is not just a legal right, but also a necessity for maintaining a work-life balance.
Planning a vacation can be fun and exciting. But it can also be quite a long journey - from choosing a substitute at work to completing last-minute tasks.
It's also important to decide how many days of paid leave to request and how to distribute them throughout the year so that you can fully relax.
The bottom line is that vacations also require organization. In the following lines, we will look at some practical tips to help you plan your vacation so you can truly enjoy your time away from work.
Before you call in your absence, make sure you do so in a way that doesn't violate company policies.
Notify your colleagues and manager in advance, respecting the deadline, so that they are aware of the period during which you plan to rest.
Of course, choose a suitable period that does not coincide with important projects or events at work. The application process may include designating a replacement to take over your duties during your leave. If this is a mandatory step in the process, be sure to complete it, regardless of whether your company manages absences electronically or on paper. On your last days at work before the break, take time with your chosen substitute to introduce them to your duties.
Stick to your allotted days and do not exceed their number. Based on the company's policy, there are a few options - fixed and equal number of paid leave days for all employees, the number is determined based on position in the company or accumulation of additional bonus days.
As an employee, you should always be aware of how many days you have available. If you are not sure, you can request this information from accounting or the human resources department.
Also, check with your manager the number of paid leave days you want to request, as there may be restrictions on vacation time. Some companies prefer their employees to take shorter vacations, but more frequently throughout the year. Others believe it would be more productive if their employees were absent for a longer period. For example, take time off twice a year for 10 days instead of making 4 requests for 5 paid leave days.
Unpredicted change of plans are always possible, but try not to postpone the requested days and then choose another desired period. Coordinate the dates with your team and your colleagues' vacations so that you don't all end up being out of the office at the same time.
There is no written rule on this issue, but there are quite a few studies that examine the effects on the body of different lengths of vacation. Assuming that your employer does not impose specific restrictions and does not oblige you to rest only within 5 days of request, then you have the absolute freedom to determine for yourself how many days you will be absent. And as Winnie the Pooh said - the more, the merrier.
Research on the subject shows that a period between 7 and 10 days would have a positive effect on the body. This time is enough to lower stress levels and improve not only our physical but also our mental state. Sometimes we get so caught up in our routine that we don't realize how much we need a change and a break. That's why it's recommended to take at least a week off from work.
According to other studies, the first week is necessary for adapting to the fact that we are not at work, and the second week is for true relaxation. In both cases - time off is more than needed so we can gather our strength and do our best at work later on.
We advise you to distribute your paid leave over several periods during the year, if that's possible. Even if they are not at equal intervals or with an equal number of days, this way you will give yourself a break more than once throughout the whole year. Imagine being away for a month in the summer and then not being able to take a rest until next year.
If you have a total of 20 days, you can divide them into 2 requests of 10 days each or 4 requests of 5 days each. Keep the longer periods for the summer, if you prefer, and have some shorter breaks during other seasons.
Of course, not every absence has to be for an equal number of days, as urgent commitments and unforeseen situations always arise that hinder our work
We can safely say that the optimal length of leave for full recovery from work is one to two weeks. Don't be tempted to work during your vacation. If you have warned your colleagues in advance, handed over your most important responsibilities, informed them of possible deadlines, important meetings, etc., then they should be able to handle the work while you are gone.
If you think this is the way to prove yourself as a tireless employee who is always on call, you are wrong. By giving yourself time to rest, you will return to the workplace with new strength and ideas, ready to tick off even more tasks.
If you wish to do something good both for the organization and for the people, to simplify the leave of absence request process, to minimize the expenses, and to better coordinate your teams, then TIMEOFF.GURU is created exactly for that reason.
Show the solution to your colleagues and see for yourself how convenient and easy everything becomes with TIMEOFF.GURU. With just a few clicks, you have a request, approval, report, and a view of the overall absence calendar. Without unnecessary bureaucracy, without piles of paper, without hours of processing.