As a PM, I find it challenging to take time off besides on certain holidays. In a typical year, I probably use 10 paid days, most frequently in chunks of 1 or 2 days on weekends or over the aforementioned significant holidays.
Do you have any tips on how to take a week or two vacation whenever you want without having to work really hard the week before and the week after you return?
Thanksgiving week and the final two weeks of the year are already off for me thanks to my employer, which is fantastic.
I’ve made it a point to take one four-day weekend (Thursday-Friday; Friday-Monday, etc.) off each month since we switched from 20 days to unlimited vacation time this year. Every year, I take at least a full week to two weeks off, but I schedule it months in advance so that people can plan around it.
Thanksgiving week and the final two weeks of the year are already off for me thanks to my employer, which is lovely.
I’ve discovered that knowing you’ll be eliminated months before the round makes it simpler because the team can make plans accordingly. A good coworker will be pleased to cover for you while you’re away if you leave good covering documents (I always say my coverage is there for escalation, NOT to do my work).
In all honesty, it’s simple to burn out in this line of work, but very few of us are creating life-saving items. Spend some time.
I use my entire PTO. I prepare for it ahead of time and make sure my management, team, and stakeholders are informed. During this time, I don’t respond to emails, but I do occasionally read them.
A 10 day week seems extremely meagre. In the US, my firm offers unlimited PTO. This year, I intend to take roughly 5 weeks off, mainly in smaller chunks of 2-3 days.
At our organization, other PMs have taken two-week vacations. Although it is possible, I don’t believe there is a method to avoid the requirement to plan ahead before the trip. However, given that many individuals take several months off to care for their children, taking a few weeks off shouldn’t be an issue if your coworkers are all prepared to pitch in.
Schedule a bug sprint during your PTO. My regular contributions to design, story acceptance, and other areas are needed because our sprints at work are frequently feature-focused. However, bugs accumulate during that time, and if they’re not urgent or severe, we can let them do so. The team focuses on these bugs while I’m away.
Move to a socialist wasteland like Europe or New Zealand… 30+ days of paid time off with a forecast of 1-2 week breaks. Healthcare is one of the additional perks. drastically decreased gun crime, etc.
I apologize for my scepticizm, but please enjoy your holidays and don’t push yourself any way. Declare your absence to the team in advance, make a strategy, and carry it out.
We have unlimited vacation time here, and I try to take between 20–35 days a year. At least one break of two to three weeks (not over the holidays), one week over Christmas, typically one other break of one to two weeks, and a few three- and four-day weekends are required. Each year, there are some changes.
I wasn’t always this way; before realizing that I work better when I take breaks, I often burned myself out.
Seriously, I really have no idea how you manage to maintain your sanity with just ten or less days off each year. I’d go mad within a year.
@NaomiNwosu, In addition, there are the significant holidays. I’m allowed to take 20 days off, but I usually choose not to because long vacations necessitate pre- and post-work.
Taking brief vacations is also not common for me unless I have a valid reason (such as a wedding), as doing so usually results in me working longer hours on the three or four days that I am actually working that week because management doesn’t adjust the deadlines for my deliverables if I’m only gone for a few days.
I do have some jealousy for Europe and other societies where working harder to advance oneself is not as highly valued as it is in the US, especially when there is no immediate reward.
In addition, there are the significant holidays. I’m allowed to take 20 days off, but I usually choose not to because long vacations necessitate pre- and post-work.
Taking brief vacations is also not common for me unless I have a valid reason (such as a wedding), as doing so usually results in me working longer hours on the three or four days that I am actually working that week because management doesn’t adjust the deadlines for my deliverables if I’m only gone for a few days.
I do have some jealousy for Europe and other societies where working harder to advance oneself is not as highly valued as it is in the US, especially when there is no immediate reward.
My company has unlimited PTO. Before the pandemic, I took at least every break my kids had from school off as well as extended holiday weekends and a two week stretch in the summer for a vacation, too. About 6-7 weeks total?
I only get 10 days a year 
New grad life…
WHAT? Just 10 days? OMG! What company? Working in strategy/analytics for a retail company, not PM, I receive 15 days off, 2 “roving holidays” (not sure what that means), and 5 sick days.
Yeah I get 10 days vacation plus 5 sick. Not the best. But I do have the title “Product Manager” which is great. It’s a smaller tech company outside of Washington, D.C.
Flexible holidays for whatever reason. Some celebrate holiday X, some Y.
The company does not want to give X and Y. So they make it a flex holiday. Win-win.