There is probably nothing more rewarding than having a good long vacation after a rough and exhausting time at work. Being able to spend time with your family and friends doing something fun or even going on a trip is something that a lot of people look forward to. But what if your dream holidays get interrupted by a demanding boss or lost colleagues? Even though they might take only 5 minutes of your time (which is never 5 minutes), it still feels like the mood has instantly changed and all the worries and stress that you were hoping to run away from are once again back. 

This is not acceptable and users of the Antiwork subreddit know it. This is why user @u/birdlawyer213 decided to share a comment written by a person who had a perfect way out of unnecessary communication with colleagues during their time off.

More Info: Reddit

A lot of us value our vacation time as it means that we get that sweet time spent by doing something fun

Image credits: Electronker (not the actual image)

The person in question shared that for a while now, they’ve been telling their coworkers that during their vacation, they’re going on a camping trip, so that they would assume that the employee is somewhere where the connection is limited or they’re so busy camping that they won’t be able to take a call or attend an important meeting. The author of the comment revealed that in their coworkers’ eyes they seem like a person who just loves outdoor activities. But this, however, isn’t their biggest concern. What they are afraid of is that the company might actually hire someone who is a camping enthusiast that will blow their cover. The user even shared that they do spend some time outside to take pictures to show to the interested colleagues.

This might sound like a fun cover that helps to avoid being disturbed during vacation time, but it also uncovers a serious problem of breaking boundaries regarding a person’s time off. This shared post encouraged others to share what they think about the problem and reveal what “techniques” they use in order to avoid unexpected calls from work. Some people asked to be paid for the time they spent working, while others decided to just simply ignore any attempts someone from work made to contact them or let others know that they would be traveling somewhere very far away.

Reddit user decided to share how they’ve lied for years to get away from being contacted by coworkers during their time off

Image credits: u/birdlawyer213

Bored Panda contacted Jayne Hardy, a founder of The Blurt Foundation, an enterprise that is dedicated to helping those who battle depression, to find out more insights on setting boundaries at work. Is it really easier to lie about your vacation plans than actually admit that you want time off and not be bothered by your colleagues? The specialist revealed that this situation is more common than we think. “I’m not at all surprised that some people find it easier to lie about their out-of-work activities than to create limits around their availability. It’s understandable why people might communicate their want to be unavailable on something you seemingly have no control over – like being away off-grid – rather than express their desire and need to enjoy non-work time uninterrupted,” – explained Hardy.

The woman continued by sharing why it’s important to resist such behavior: “It’s difficult to stand up to ingrained workplace cultures and doing so can sometimes lead to undesired consequences if the workplace has a particularly toxic burnout culture. But we do all deserve and need non-work time. Space where we’re not accessible and that lightening of the mental load when we put our work-related responsibilities down. A chance to have fun, unwind and recharge without the added worry that we’ll be caught out on a lie any time soon.”

The person revealed that they would say to their coworkers that they were going camping when in fact they spent time at a hotel

Image credits: Bickie Pickie (not the actual image)

Some people were curious to know why employees feel the need to be available during their vacation. While we do talk quite often about finding the right balance between work and life, it’s easier said than done. According to Hardy, it’s not “possible to completely compartmentalize work from our personal life; if only we had a magical switch that could totally turn off all thoughts of work when we’re not there and vice versa. But, there is an, often unspoken but heavily implied, pressure in some workplaces that we’ll be available at any time on any given day.” So setting boundaries often goes out the window because a person is too invested in a project and wants to know what’s going on or make sure that the work that they put in won’t go to waste. Some of them might feel obligated to help others or know that without their expertise nothing will move forward. Very often people fear being replaced or fired. However, setting healthy work boundaries is crucial for one’s well-being.

This little “trick” encouraged others online to share their opinion on the matter and also reveal their own experiences

Recently society was presented with a phenomenon called “quiet quitting” which appears when a burned-out employee lacks motivation and decides not to go that extra mile to achieve better results. One of the factors that lead to quiet quitting is not being able to find a balance between your work and personal life. 

How can you help yourself in this case? What are some of the ways to have those boundaries in place? The creator of The Blurt Foundation revealed some useful advice that should help set clear work boundaries. The woman shared that the best thing is to “start with terms of your engagement. What’s actually in your employment contract (if you have one)? Because that’s a legal document which in the first instance was designed to manage mutual expectations in the role – a list of terms and conditions from both sides.” The specialist also added that this document helps us to see what kind of expectations we tend to put on ourselves already and how different they might be from what we were originally assigned to do.

The reactions from users online showed how serious of a problem not being able to set proper work boundaries is

It’s helpful to determine some of the things or people in your workplace that cause you stress because this is where you have to start setting boundaries to avoid feeling anxious. “Communication is always key too; that it’s clear, concise, and honest. We’re allowed to seek clarity for ourselves. We’re also allowed to set reasonable limits around our work but communicating those is also key,” explained Hardy. Set clear limits: have clear working hours after which you close the office door and go enjoy your free time with family and friends, and turn all of the notifications on your phone and laptop. Don’t be afraid to let others know about your “rules”, and share this in advance if someone wants to contact you during your time off. It’s also crucial to assess your own abilities and see if you really have the time to do all the things you need/want to do. Maybe you need more people for this task or more time? This helps to avoid being overwhelmed and feeling as if you need time off just to keep up with your workload. “The more consistent we can be with these boundaries and the more upfront we are when they’re encroached upon, the easier they get with time,” concluded the founder.

Some people even remembered times when going to another country did wonders and solved the problem of not wanting to be contacted

Have you ever met a person that seems always to say “yes”? Maybe you are that person? One of the ways to have a healthy relationship with work is to really think about what you’ve been asked to do and be okay with saying “no” if you feel that you won’t be able to deliver that extra work on time. Do you have more useful tips that would help others to have a normal relationship with your job? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!

Image credits: u/birdlawyer213

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