Are You Really Switching off During PTO?

When you do eventually wriggle yourself into that lounger, though, the balmy sun warming your vitamin D deprived skin, sure you’ll be out of office, but with a shocking 82% of professionals saying they still work on vacation, will the office really be out of you?

We spoke to Claire Deeprose, Solutions Team Lead EMEA & APAC, about why just taking PTO isn’t enough—it’s got to be intentional, too.

Making the most of time off

“Taking time off is good for us and our performance at work. But being intentional about when and how we spend it is critical,” says Claire.

Because a break without intention is like flipping your laptop shut. Sure, it might look like its off, but that panoply of programs you’ve got open’s still sucking on the battery.

What we need is a proper shut down. Maybe even a little system update. And as any responsible computer owner knows, updates need scheduling.

Be intentional about timing

“Try not to go more than eight weeks without some time off,” Claire advises.

If you do, there’s a danger that when it does come, “Time off will just be about recovering rather than fully recharging,” she warns.

Listen to your body. It’ll tell you if you’re getting to that point.

“When small things start to irritate me, or I start to feel annoyed during conversations. This is a warning sign for me that my resilience is low, and I need to take a break,” Claire says.

Be intentional about activities

As tempting as it might be to go full couch potato, don’t just be passive in your downtime, either.

“Mindlessly watching TV will not feel intentional or meaningful and won’t lead to happiness,” Claire points out.

Time off is about reenergizing, not just resting. And that means losing yourself in joyful activities.

Whether that’s “Reading, a walk, or going to a concert,” as Claire says, engaging your attention elsewhere helps to psychologically detach from work.

Some key strategies for switching off

All this relies on you putting the right conditions in place, though.

Make a not to do list

No checking Slack. No scrolling LinkedIn. And as for feel guilty about taking a break. Forget about it.

“It can be really tempting to just have a peek at emails or reply to a Slack message during time off,” says Claire. So, we have to be strict with ourselves here.

Set clear boundaries

“If you don’t want to be contacted while you’re on leave, be clear about that,” Claire says.

Set OOOs. No ‘limited access’ qualifiers, either. And make sure to “Delete apps or disable notifications.”

The last thing you need is your phone buzzing at you like an angry wasp.

Organizations set the tone

But if PTO is to take its rightful place at the heart of performance strategy, organizations must take measures to switch from permission to promotion.

Model it from the top

“Employees feel empowered to take meaningful time off if they see senior leaders role modeling it,” Claire points out.

And not just modeling it, but extolling its virtues, too.

Celebrate it

Workplaces could even “Celebrate time off,” Claire thinks. Whether that’s creating opportunities for intentional time off with things like team lunches and group exercise classes, or offering a shared space to post vacation snaps, it all helps show time off is valued.

Take back your remote

And remember, you don’t need ten days on a Caribbean beach to benefit.

“We only need two hours of intentional free time per day to reap happiness benefits,” Claire tells us. That could mean nothing more elaborate than a nice stretch, some gardening, and a good old read in bed.

When it comes down to it, whatever our intentional time off involves, “The most important thing is that we are present while we’re doing it,” says Claire.

Because time off should be just that. Off. So next time you’re taking some, don’t just press the pause button from work. Hit stop.