Out of Office
Can we normalize unplugging from work, please?
It’s summertime, aka vacation time … which means time for those riveting out-of-office (OOO) messages. You know, the ones that read something like:
Hi there! I’m out of office from July 3-8 with limited access to email. Please expect a delayed response during this time. If this is urgent, you can try me on Slack or call my cell at 555-555-5555. Otherwise, I’ll respond to your message as soon as I’m able. Happy 4th!
It reminds me of this video, highlighting the differences between (and absurdity of) OOO messages in the U.S. and Europe:
Why, oh why, do some (perhaps many?) of us feel the need to always be available even while we’re on vacation?
Every good techie knows the answer to many tech problems is “turn it off and back on again” … because sometimes tech just needs a good hard reset.
Turns out, people do too.
So the next time you’re OOO—whether it’s for a three-day staycation over a holiday weekend or a two-week vacation abroad—do yourself and everyone around you a favor and unplug, fully. Because …
Your family, friends, and/or fellow travelers want to see you.
Time away will help you be more creative and productive when you return.
You’ve earned PTO for a reason—use it as intended!
It sets a good example for your team, and gives them permission to do the same.
If your work or team can’t live without you for a few days/weeks, you’re doing something terribly wrong as a leader.
I promise you, the work will be there when you return. It always is.
We all need time away to relax, restore, and rejuvenate. So turn yourself off—clear your calendar, remove work email from your phone, shut off notifications—and don’t turn yourself back on again until your vacation is over. You deserve to unplug.
Bonus content: If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some fun OOO messages in this Instagram post.
Bonus content #2: An AWS colleague reminds us that “life is worth so much more than a job title” in this LinkedIn post on taking time off to focus on personal well-being.
And a question for you: Do you have a favorite OOO message? I’d love to hear it!
I was really hoping during the Great Resignation, work culture would've changed and people would've really started to understand the importance of time spent away from work and doing other passions, but seems that was fleeting.