General Discussion

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)

13. Early in my career ...

Thu Jan 8, 2015, 08:49 AM

Jan 2015

I had a mentor who called me into her office after I had taken a couple days off. She asked me to put my finger in a cup of water, then remove my finger. She then asked me to point to where my finger had been. Of course, I couldn't. She said, "the cup of water is the company and your finger is you ... the company will go on whether you are here or not. It's built that way."

I walked away thinking I had been admonished for taking time off ... until, after working 70+ hours a week for a 8 week stretch, she called me back into her office ... and did the same thing.

Her message was ... find balance and take the time that you need, being mindful of what is happening around you.

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Why Are Americans So Afraid To Take Vacation? [View all] xchrom Jan 2015 OP

your 41% is the people who drive to work in blizzards... easychoice Jan 2015 #1

Many people are forced to come to work sick. DLevine Jan 2015 #3

Even if I stay home, I end up still working. MindPilot Jan 2015 #16

There are a lot of poorly educated 4yr.old managers out there. easychoice Jan 2015 #44

But you are constantly afraid that if ONE person makes it in, it makes you look like CTyankee Jan 2015 #46

++++++++ marions ghost Jan 2015 #61

AAAAAAMEN. When I retired I never looked back. I'm so happy Nay Jan 2015 #65

"Workers are being bullied, pure and simple." WhaTHellsgoingonhere Jan 2015 #78

I'm sure anxiety over money factors into it deutsey Jan 2015 #2

you don't get any vacation time in a lot of jobs. hobbit709 Jan 2015 #4

At 2-5k a wack vacations are expensive. ileus Jan 2015 #5

So stay home... brooklynite Jan 2015 #12

They can be, sure. But sometimes it's nice to just sit at home, being local, puttering underahedgerow Jan 2015 #18

you don't have to spend any money to take a vacation Skittles Jan 2015 #57

vacations are a first world thing Adam051188 Jan 2015 #6

and if you live in the first world it's a problem. nt xchrom Jan 2015 #8

do I? what's the definition of a first world country? Adam051188 Jan 2015 #9

i'll give you 3 guesses -- the first 2 don't count. nt xchrom Jan 2015 #24

Vacations came about in industrial societies, not necessarily in the "first world" however that's... Humanist_Activist Jan 2015 #43

your list is bogus. Adam051188 Jan 2015 #48

This message was self-deleted by its author Cal Carpenter Jan 2015 #62

With no union protection, some workers worry the employer B Calm Jan 2015 #7

I take mine regularly madville Jan 2015 #10

Your probably a better worker for it too yeoman6987 Jan 2015 #31

I drove to work in blizzards as that was my job newfie11 Jan 2015 #11

Early in my career ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2015 #13

I think the balance has been well studied and is the reason there is a typical 35 hour work week adirondacker Jan 2015 #20

Yep. If the company can't survive without you, it's a sole proprietorship. Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #45

And much to the dismay of many business owners ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2015 #49

And thrive even! Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #50

Not enough people are working Recursion Jan 2015 #14

I don't take vacations because... meaculpa2011 Jan 2015 #15

I love my work and I'd rather be working tenderfoot Jan 2015 #36

I hate vacations too tabbycat31 Jan 2015 #73

This is one of the main reasons I won't move back to the USA. In France we get 1 month underahedgerow Jan 2015 #17

We're too materialistic is one answer TexasMommaWithAHat Jan 2015 #19

If you take a vacation Capt. Obvious Jan 2015 #21

Did you read the post immediately after yours? A bit ironic! ieoeja Jan 2015 #26

My daughter was in the same situation, retail job... PassingFair Jan 2015 #39

last job took week off came back to pink slip dembotoz Jan 2015 #22

Happened to me too. MindPilot Jan 2015 #54

Part-time, minimum wage jobs... Alkene Jan 2015 #23

I am very, very lucky and I know it - LibertyLover Jan 2015 #25

Not lucky but very privileged marions ghost Jan 2015 #64

Unlike the NYPD, most Americans don't want to show their employers Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jan 2015 #27

To Paraphrase The Clash... Javaman Jan 2015 #28

I'll bet that LWolf Jan 2015 #29

My wife and I always use all of our vacation time. Ace Rothstein Jan 2015 #30

Article answers its own question. 25% dont get paid vacation, thats the bulk of the 41% stevenleser Jan 2015 #32

THe older I get the less I want to take vacations Johonny Jan 2015 #33

why do people think they need to leave home when they are on vacation? Skittles Jan 2015 #59

There are people who work needledriver Jan 2015 #34

I am one of them, usually. alarimer Jan 2015 #82

Some of the responses to this is utterly depressing tenderfoot Jan 2015 #35

Tell me about it. What the hell are we ?? Ants?? BlueJazz Jan 2015 #53

I get two weeks a year. I cash in one week and save the other week for sick and emergency days. LanternWaste Jan 2015 #37

An old job allowed us 1 sick day/month, but if we used oftener than 3 months, were put on revie uppityperson Jan 2015 #38

I know this is just a small part of it, but Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #40

Who can afford it? SomethingFishy Jan 2015 #41

I get 22 days PTO plus 3 "diversity days"....... WillowTree Jan 2015 #42

"Imagine...?" What a bizarre sentence opening, for what is something innumerable people LIVE. WinkyDink Jan 2015 #47

Afraid? It's more like afford. Dont call me Shirley Jan 2015 #51

you don't have to spend any money to take vacation Skittles Jan 2015 #58

If one can't even afford to miss a day, yet alone a week of work, then a vacation becomes Dont call me Shirley Jan 2015 #63

are you referring to people who do not get paid vacation days Skittles Jan 2015 #68

A paid vacation should be the law. And paid sick days. And paid holidays. Dont call me Shirley Jan 2015 #69

oh absolutely Skittles Jan 2015 #71

Why would American employers be any better than our Congress? A slave-labor corporate valerief Jan 2015 #52

Quick answer...vacations are a shortcut to the unemployment line. MindPilot Jan 2015 #55

I forfeited five vacation days last year Skittles Jan 2015 #56

Because I can't get the time off workinclasszero Jan 2015 #60

A lot of people use their vacation time marions ghost Jan 2015 #66

Yup there you go workinclasszero Jan 2015 #67

I think that's true marions ghost Jan 2015 #70

Right. Who the **** has "disposable income" anymore? workinclasszero Jan 2015 #72

With ya on that marions ghost Jan 2015 #84

Maybe when the teabaggers force millions off SSI and food assistance and workinclasszero Jan 2015 #88

see ya marions ghost Jan 2015 #91

when i was working shanti Jan 2015 #74

My old supervisor wouldn't give me a weekend off (among other things) so I quit. His boss promoted me over him. Taitertots Jan 2015 #75

I take all my vacation and sick days upaloopa Jan 2015 #76

For the first time in my life I am a contract worker. No paid holidays/vacation/sickleave peacebird Jan 2015 #77

In the same boat. tenderfoot Jan 2015 #79

Interesting, what state? I doubt very much if Virginia has any protections for contract employees... peacebird Jan 2015 #80

California tenderfoot Jan 2015 #81

I don't get PTO, and can't afford to take unpaid days off unnecessarily Rhythm Jan 2015 #83

At my last job Bettie Jan 2015 #85

I am one of the lucky ones distantearlywarning Jan 2015 #86

Big "yes" to that shanti Jan 2015 #89

I would love to take a vacation....however Scruffy Rumbler Jan 2015 #87

I work with a lot of European companies and they find their American employees just baffling Sen. Walter Sobchak Jan 2015 #90

Obviously they don't understand marions ghost Jan 2015 #92

I can tell you why this American hasn't taken a vacation in 2014... MrMickeysMom Jan 2015 #93