The Never- Ending Request for Some Time OFF!

First, let me explain why I have this dilemma. I have a sister who lives in Utah (Susan Crivac, look at her blog "Sassy in Silver" she's a direct sales genius ;)), and along with my sister are her two adorable daughters, Siena (5) and Maci (3), and her husband Mark. My sister is my closest sibling, and I consider her to be one of my best friends, and as if that weren't enough, my beautiful nieces are like my daughters. As I'm sure you can imagine, it is hard to be away from them, especially when they live over 600 miles away from me! So, naturally, I visit them a few times a year. Okay, here's where the catch is- I have to beg for time off from my employer every time I want to go and see them. Now, I do not work a 9 to 5 job, so this gets tricky because they have to find someone to cover my shifts whenever I go on vacation. First of all, employers don't like it when you ask for a week or a long weekend off every 3-4 months because it indicates that you aren't "devoted" enough to your overworked, underpaid position. I know I'm not the only person out there who has this never-ending problem, so I am going to give everyone a few pointers.

1. Ask for the time off at least 2 months in advance, that way your employer knows and has ample time to find someone to cover your shift. This also indicates to them that you are on top of things and that you plan things out (a great attribute desired by employers).

2. Be reasonable about your time-off request! Don't ask for two weeks off and expect to get it willy nilly just because you asked for it off way in advance!

3. For the few months preceding your time-off request, try not to take too many days off or call in sick, because this will just say one thing about you- FLAKE!

4. Be honest with your employer! Don't say "Oh, I'm going to visit my Aunt Mildred in Kalamazoo, who is dying of a rare skin disease." No! Be HONEST! If you're taking a long weekend off to go to Vegas with your significant other to have a romantic weekend, just let your boss know that you are taking personal time off to go on vacation. We're all human! And an employer will appreciate this kind of earnestness from an employee, because it lets them know that they did make the right decision when they hired you!

5. Last, but not least, BE GRATEFUL! Let your employer know that you really appreciate them letting you have that time off, because they don't have to! It's a request, not a demand.

I know it can be emotionally trying to find the time off to spend with those that we love, but remember that at the end of the day, we need to be respectful of the commitment we made by working for an employer. Remembering all these things will help us grow into responsible human beings, and will promote our own good work ethic!