How Do You Do OOO? Why Time Away Is a Work Recovery Practice
Weekly Dose of Work Recovery Vol. 7.2.25
How Do You Do OOO? An Ode to Summer Time Away
Whether you’re celebrating, resting, or somewhere in between, if you’re one of the 150 million Americans taking time off around the 4th of July—this is for you.
Do you put up an Out of Office (OOO) message when you step away?
This year, I took a bold step: I announced my intentional slow season right in my OOO for more than two weeks, sharing it with both my internal Exec Unschool team and everyone externally. It felt edgy because I named a break of more than two weeks and asked for grace in my response time. As a recovering people pleaser and former lawyer who was never fully off (still have the ick from three days off ruined by unnecessary interruptions in 2023!), taking slow time and asking for grace in business felt bold.
And yet, it's given me insights about myself and my relationship to work and OOO time. Since starting this intentional slow pace to work this summer, I’ve noticed a few things worth sharing:
✅ Energy reset is the single most essential part of time off. My nervous system can’t sustain go-go-go forever; time away is what allows me to return clear and creative. I have to work hard to rewire rest as productive and back away from my to-do list.
✅ It always goes by too fast. That’s not a sign that I'm doing it wrong. It’s a clue that I (and YOU!) probably need more recharge time OOO.
✅ Absence is powerful. Letting myself fully unplug shows me and others that my worth isn’t tied to constant responsiveness. And can also help to identify gaps in knowledge, skills, and systems.
✅ The world doesn’t end when I take a break. But the world (and my own unique perspective) can expand if I give myself space to step back.
Hilarious OOO Messages to Copy or Customize
In the spirit of truly unplugging this week, even if it's only for the federal holiday Friday, here’s a roundup of the best, wittiest OOO messages the internet has to offer. Use one if you want to know who really gets you at work—and who might need to lighten up, try these if you want to give others a smile in the bounceback message.
🪩 “I am currently out of the office and can’t be reached. I will be back once I find myself, or by July 8th, whichever comes first.”
🌊 “I’m out of the office on PTO, practicing radical relaxation. If you need immediate assistance, please reconsider.”
🎇 “Thanks for your email. I’m out of the office, frolicking in nature and trying to remember what day it is. I’ll respond when I’m back—hopefully with a tan—on July 8th.”
📵 “This is an automated response. I’m OOO and my phone is in airplane mode, even though I’m very much on the ground.”
🛑 “I’m currently out of the office, intentionally ignoring my inbox so I can actually rest. I’ll reply when I return, but don’t hold your breath—it’s not good for either of us.”
😂 “OOO until July 8th. If this is urgent, please contact someone else. If you don’t know who that is, it’s probably not that urgent.”
Use these to reclaim your PTO with humor—and enjoy every minute of your well-earned time away.
Cheers to you and the midpoint of the year!
-Bree
This Week's Did You Know? Quiet Vacationing Is Rampant This Week
Even if you're not taking PTO or a holiday this week, it's likely you're leaning in to the slower pace of summer work or maybe even “quiet vacationing". This is the term for the 48% of Americans who say they don't take extra time but don't work as many hours, enjoying the quiet offices that commonly accompany the 4th of July holiday week. Reading emails from a lake floaty while sipping on a n/a beverage? Count me in.
Source: Harris Poll, Out of Office Culture Study
Links & Resources We Love Right Now
A listen: I stumbled on the soulful sounds of Audrey McGraw, daughter of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, who is joining a fav Brandi Carlile on tour. Her four singles are a good distraction while I await Sabrina Carpenter's Manchild album…
A learn: According to a recent poll, 61% of Millennials & Gen Z believe that US employers should shut down operations the week of the 4th of July. One third of respondents would be willing to take a paycut in exchange for the extra PTO too. It shows there are options to support greater work life balance for the brave businesses willing to shake up the schedule.
A shoutout: Unplugged retreats are gaining popularity as a way to truly go off the grid with support and accountability. Would you take a screen break for your PTO?
Something I love: Minnesota lakes. We have more than 15,000 lakes and each lake has it's own energy and strengths. My two favorites are where our family cabins reside. Paddleboard, fish, swim, eat, repeat. That's how we spend our slow summer days…
