Call it mid-to-late November: You’re either looking forward to a relaxing (and filling) Thanksgiving “break” next week… or panicking about the fact that Starbucks already had their red, Holiday cups out weeks ago! (Yikes, this must mean that I’d better get a move-on, checking off my gift list). But more importantly, this means that we need to talk Holiday Vacation Requests.

Thankfully, my current company is very organized and requires that we request all of our Holiday vacation days-off, early (by a specific date) – so, I’m not speaking from a horror-story here.

Although, at one of my previous employers I did request a day off around the Holidays ahead of time, but once one of my higher-up colleagues did the same thing, it trumped my request (leaving me to drive back into work on the day after Christmas, everybody say “aww”). But instead of getting overly upset about the situation, I realized that I wasn’t in college anymore (no more full-weeks off), and I simply worked it out with my boss to come in later that day, so that I could still enjoy the morning off!

However, whether or not your current (or future) employer asks that you give them a “head’s-up” of your vacation-day wishes far in advance, it is a very wise idea to do so anyway. This will allow for your team, manager, and company to plan for the rest of the calendar-year, possibly even quarter (depending on how your co. works) – and will usually ensure the fact that you will be allotted those exact days off… unless of course you are asking for something unreasonable.

Long-blog-short, requesting your Holiday vacation days ahead of time, will bring cheer all around!

“'Tis the season for those last-minute requests for time off—complete with pleading, tears, and sometimes anger from the petitioning employees. One more thing to add to a manager's holiday stress list," writes Amy Joyce, of The Washington Post – in her article, Oh, Those Last-Minute Time Off Requests.

Joyce even gives employers the advice to: “Make rules, be flexible and hang on for the bumpy ride. Everyone sets up holiday vacation schedules to avoid conflicts at this time of year, but inevitably, they go awry as the last-minute requests (or, in some cases, demands) pop up.”
(Read full-article here)

Some other great advice, provided by Susan M. Heathfield and written by Thomas F. O'Leary, of About.com: “No one should feel guilty about taking vacation time, and yet, sometimes, people feel as though their holiday time is an imposition to their company. It is important for people to get away and re-charge their batteries, and managers should be encouraged to show support for their team members' plans. With team support and encouragement, people will look forward to returning to the office after some time off.” (Read full article here)

And, when you do successfully request your Holiday vacation days off… here are a few more things to do, before heading out the door. (Read more tips in: You Should Really Take a Vacation (No, Really))

* Update your voicemail and email messages
* Take care of all/any tasks that cannot wait until your return
* Stay focused on the job at hand, until your vacation actually starts

Stick to these guidelines, and your dream vacation OR staycation should go off without a hitch. Talk to your Supervisor today!

Photo by: Zesmerelda