MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PTO
International travel can be difficult with limited PTO. For this reason, you need to be strategic with how and when you use your allotted time off. I generally take two international trips and several domestic trips throughout the year by crafting my vacations to be adequately timed and efficiently planned.
These are the rules to live by when mapping out your PTO for the year:
Rule #1: Avoid taking long weekend trips.
This could mean the difference between having the extra day needed to make travel to Asia feasible or spending an extra day by the Jersey Shore. If you want to vacation internationally while maintaining a full-time job, you need to conserve your days wisely. Taking a few days off here and there will leave you with few PTO days to travel abroad. Spend one less day at the local weekend destination you've visited a dozen times and spend one more day exploring the foothills of Vietnam.
Rule #2: Book your vacations over holiday weekends.
The best time of year to travel abroad is Thanksgiving. Yes, I said it. You should forgo your family's version of turkey-fest to travel abroad. You have the rest of your life to eat copious amounts of carbs and bond with your drunken uncle from Alabama. This is the time in your life to be selfish with the few days you've been given and escape the monotony of everyday life. Companies usually give two days off (Thursday and Friday) for Thanksgiving which allows you to plan an 11 day international trip using only 5 days of PTO. South America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Far East Asia are all destinations with warm weather during this time of year. If you prefer to travel in the summer, book your vacations during Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day weekends to take advantage of the extra day off.
Rule #3: Be aware of when you are needed most in the office.
It is normal to feel uncomfortable requesting PTO for a longer international vacation. You want to be noticed for the hours you spend in the office, not the hours you spend out of the office. The key to accomplishing this is taking an early read of workplace expectations. By the first few months on the job, you can quickly "sniff" out when you are needed most, whether that's monthly, quarterly, or annually. These are the times that matter most, and you should avoid taking longer vacations during weeks. As our generation enters an increasingly agile workforce, employees have less rules around working remotely or the number of days to take off. Choose your vacation time with consideration and your time off will be less stressful for yourself and less noticeable to your supervisor. At the end of the day, your employer is concerned about getting the work done. If you are present when it matters most, your two week vacation during the slow time of year won't alter the course of your career progress. In fact, the new perspectives you will gain from international exposure will only expedite it.
Rule #4: Plan short weekend trips that don't require PTO.
I'm always surprised with how much you can see and do in just one or two days. If you live in the tri-state area, the possibilities are endless. Philadelphia, Boston, Cape Cod, Rhode Island...all easily accessible for a short weekend trip. If you leave Friday and come back Sunday night or Monday morning, you will have just enough time to recharge until your next international vacation. The key to taking weekend getaways is accepting a weekend trip should be limited to strictly the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and not prolonged further into the week (refer to Rule #2).
Rule #5: The Red Eye is your friend.
I will be the first to admit that red eye flights are never pleasant. Who wants to spend a night upright in a crammed airplane with a snoring neighbor to your left and a crying baby to your right...all so you can arrive home at the break of dawn, just in time to begin the work day. It's miserable. It's also worth it. Every vacation day is a gift from your employer and you must not waste it on easily replenishable resources such as sleep. To say it simply, you can sleep when you're dead.
Rule #6: Work remotely when possible in lieu of taking time off.
If your employer is lax on working remotely every once in a while, pack your bags and head out to your travel destination a day or two early, especially if you've exhausted too much of your PTO and will have reliable wifi. This strategy is most effective for east coasters traveling to the west coast due to the time zone difference. Hop on a 7 PM flight to Los Angeles Thursday night and you'll arrive before 10 PM. If you work remotely on Friday and take a red eye back on Sunday night, you'll have almost three full days to explore LA, especially as you start and end your day earlier with the time zone difference. You can accomplish plenty of sightseeing and activities without having to take any time off.
Rule #7: Just do it.
We are creatures of habit, and by nature, we prefer not to trouble ourselves with things that seem uncomfortable or difficult. It's not easy to juggle a full-time job and a sometimes conflicting desire to see the world, but if you are willing to make some sacrifices, you can conquer both. Stop thinking too much. It's always worth it. Just do it.
