How does everyone use their available vacation time? (employees, owner, job)

[andywire]

I'm trying to find out if week long vacations are becoming a rarity, or something less than the norm. Most of the folks where I work don't take the traditional week long vacations where one might travel. Instead, folks like to take a Monday or Friday off and enjoy a longer 3 day weekend. The only people who seem to take an entire week off are the owner and the lead man.

I personally have not taken a week long vacation in several years and have been considering it as of late. I was waiting for a slow stretch where this might fit in well with the company's schedule but we have not been slow in quite awhile. When ever I travel it's to visit family, which can usually be accomplished over the course of a long weekend. I could really use a longer vacation though, just not sure what to do with the time.

[ruckerz]

It takes me a week to just disconnect from work. I think my next vacation will be a 3 or 4 week stretch.

[ccm123]

I usually take a week at a time and with two weekends, equals 9 days. Usually enough to get away for a nice vacation.

[beera]

My next "vacation" is going to be from Thursday to Monday, only because I'm going for a specific event

Usually I use my vacation around the holidays though, and travel, so it's about a week at most.

[bobtn]

I take 2 week or longer vacations annually, plus 2 partial week vacations. I was gone the week before Easter, plus Memorial Day-Thursday that week. (Yes, I almost always combine them with holidays to "stretch" the period of time off.) I also typically telecommute from 1,000 miles away at least a few days annually..for the same reason.

Our fiscal year not being Jan-Dec was a major factor in my accepting my present job, as it is conducive to extensive time off around Christmas. I'm always gone by December 17th at the latest , until January 2nd or 3rd.

Everyone needs extended time off now and than. If you cannot get it where you are, you should consider other options. Time is a precious commodity.

[fishbrains]

My plans vary from year to year. This year I am taking 2 1/2 weeks in the summer and another week in December. The rest will be used to make occasional 4 day weekends.

Leisure time and the ability to travel is important to me and was a major consideration when accepting my position.

[city living]

If I had two weeks (10 days) of vacation, for example, I would:

-Take one vacation across the week. I did this before and lined it up with Memorial Day so that I'd have a very long vacation.
-Break-up the days and make long weekends. It's good for those months that seem to drag on without holidays.

[groar]

this depends on your job and the culture where you work.

but there's never going to be a perfect time to take a vacation, just like there's never a perfect time to quit. just go for it. taking a break is important to your mental health and that is a benefit to your employer, not just you. don't feel guilty about it!

i tend to take a day or two off at a time, but that's because i have family far away so i need those days for travel time for holidays and visiting on the weekends and things like that. that's part of why i'm moving closer to my family, so i can take real vacations again.

[Hemlock140]

I usually take a full week once or twice a year, and 2-3 times a Friday and the following Monday for a 4 day weekend. In case of an unexpected expense, such as a big car repair, we can also sell it back and get a check, but I still have over 300 hours saved up. Others till take longer vacations, on of my staff just took 2-1/2 weeks, another has 3 weeks scheduled.

[charolastra00]

It's common to take a full week - and increasingly common at my workplace to take two weeks at once over the summer. It's quieter over the summer and over the holidays (Passover, High Holy Days) and we already get most of the week of Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years off. One of my bosses lately has suggested that I take 2 weeks off at once (especially since I have a lot of time banked!) because she enjoyed it so much last year.

All employees start with 10 days a year if hourly and 15 if salaried. We can only carry over 10 days a year - which I keep banked because they pay out if we leave.