BLT #6 | PTO is a hoax. Try this instead.

Paid Time Off isn't all it's cracked up to be. This week, we dive into what's broken about PTO and our suggested solution to the chaos.
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WE BELIEVE:

PTO is broken. We should frequently recharge instead.

Here's a hard Truth: True PTO is exceptionally rare. Not many folks have the privilege of being able to fully sign off for extended periods of time, whether it's because of the nature of their work, their overbearing manager/leader, or because of social pressures that tell us "always doing more" is how you can get ahead. Companies talk a big game about encouraging people to take time off, but the truth is, their actions rarely support it.

Our Advice:
We suggest focusing on recharging moments instead. Finding ways each and every day to charge your batteries in small ways rather than waiting for a big, singular moment to "fully recharge" will help ensure you never make it all the way to burnout.

SOMETHING WE LOVE:

We love getting inspired by habits you already have. When it comes to PTO vs. recharge time, most of us already bring this "incremental recharge" mindset to many parts of our lives. We avoid letting our phones get to 0%, we try to never fully drain our savings account before contributing again, and most of us will have a snack before we become truly starving. We're good at incremental recharges in so many parts of our lives, but seem to consistently neglect it in in our professional lives.

YOU SHOULD TRY THIS:

Pick a habit you already have and attach a recharge habit to it. Here's a few ideas:

• When you plug in your phone to charge, you will also sit in silence for 60 seconds and take deep breaths.
• When you are preparing a meal, you take 1 extra step to get ahead of the next meal. You could pre-chop some veggies, season meat you'll be cooking later, or load the dishwasher while you're cooking.
• When you're getting ready in the morning, turn on music that makes you happy and feel energized.

Want more recharge tips? Listen to this week's Career Sandwich Podcast to get inspired. You can listen in on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.