On Taking Time Off in the Middle of the Workday
A few of my friends and I do this volunteer thing every year where we write letters to pen pals in the third grade. It’s a really great literacy program, and this year, we read Ramona the Pest by Beverly Clearly, and reminisced about what it was like to be in kindergarten—which is pretty hilarious to think about because my kid, Joel, was in kindergarten just three years ago. We’re meeting face-to-face today and I’m pretty excited about it.
Last year, I had to go through this process of asking for two hours off in the middle of the workday to go hang out with my kid at the volunteer center headquarters, and it was a bigger ordeal than it had to be. I told my supervisor that I had to go to my annual volunteer event, and she was convinced that I was leaving for two hours to go to a job interview. She told me I had to figure out how to make up those two hours, and I said, of course, and not to worry about it.
Now that I’m my own boss, I can leave the office for two hours without having to ask anyone for permission, and it’s really the best thing. I’m looking forward to seeing Joel today without stressing out how I’m going to make up the lost time at work.
awesome! what is the program called?
@Katie Mendelson@twitter It’s this program! If you live in NYC, I definitely recommend. It’s really fun.
This really doesn’t make me feel any better about using my newfound freelancing freedom to see an Avengers matinee yesterday.
Ha, it’s amazing how many bosses treat all their employees’ work time as sacred. Yet they’d have no problem taking a two hour shopping lunch or taking off early to go pick up the kids.
I’d never hesitate to push back on that kind of policy. What are they going to do, fire you for having a life?
@brianvan Truth! My boss constantly leaves at 3pm and takes four day weekends, but I have to ask special permission to leave ON TIME at 5pm.
I love taking long lunches. My office and home are two miles apart so every once in awhile I take a two hour lunch to run errands or go to H&M when it’s not swarmed with people. I’d love to make it a regular thing and I’m going to take Jen Duzria’s advice and ask for it way in advance. I’m pitching to my boss that after our August conference I take two hour lunches Tues and Thurs. and I think he is likely to agree.
This is why I am excited to leave my 9-5 for grad school (aside from the ‘following my dreams thing). My job is especially restrictive, and I have to ask to leave the building for a cup of coffee…
OK… I also have to ask to use the restroom. I’m not lying.
@myrna.minkoff That’s one of the biggest things I miss about grad school. It’s been really rough adjusting to being at work all day, every day, without the flexibility to take off when I want/need to.
One of the most annoying parts of an office job. Granted people can and do take advantage of a more casual work policy BUT how many times do we work through our lunch hours, stay a few hours late and do we ever get that time back? No way. but leave for an extra hour and all the sudden you owe them more? ugh.
@pretzels! exactly this. ughhhh.
@pretzels! My office is pretty good about this, actually. I’m *technically* a salaried position but I’m actually paid hourly (our payroll is wacky), so I can pull overtime pay. Or we can take hours we work late/through lunch off a work day later. Although we’re so busy now that we’ve been working late and through lunch, so taking it off later isn’t super feasible…
That program sound adorable.
But ugh, I hate that working basically means you are a slave to the job. Like, you should be able to take a couple of hours off during the day with no explanation, as long as you make up the hours later. IT IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS JOB. MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
@Megano! But mine is a Business Job!
This sounds like an awesome program!
Ugh. I have had bosses that go both ways; super-restrictive and super-trusting. I found myself bending over backwards to do good work for my accomidating bosses, and trying to get out of as much as possible for the ones who were overly restrictive with the structure of my work day.
Also, if you are the kind of manager who takes long lunches, does the “school run” in the morning and is thus late, leaves early, or “works” from home… don’t be a dickbag and assume your employees don’t notice. And no, it doesn’t matter if you work late or on weekends – because they want the same flexibility you are giving yourself. Basically, treat your employees like people, you will be surprised at how much work they will do for you!
But you didn’t ask us if you could take off time during the middle of the day…
I remember this one glorious friday where my friend and I both decided to take two hours of personal time off before attending our usual work happy hour. We wandered around a cute shopping area, watched tourists watching the lady making snacks…it was amazing. In my memory the day was golden and shiny.
Ohhhh man, it is stuff like this that is going to keep me at my current low pay/30 a week job forever. I work from home and can arrange my hours however I want. When you’ve tasted glorious freedom it is hard to contemplate going back.