Regardless of how important our work is, at the end of the day, we all need a break. When work or life gets overwhelming, we must find ways to rest and recharge ourselves. But when you have a job, you can’t just throw away everything and go on a holiday. So what is the right approach to asking your boss for a day off? This article will help you know more.

How to request time off?

1. Review your company’s PTO policy

Before putting across your leave request, take a thorough look at your company’s paid time off or PTO policy. Most organizations provide their employees with a fixed amount of leaves. If you’re a new employee, it is less likely that you have the option to take paid leaves until after your probation period. Else, if you’ve already used up your paid leaves, you might have to opt for unpaid leaves. It’s best to talk to your company’s HR professional to clarify leave policies. 

2. Check out your team’s schedule

It’s essential to look at your company calendar before taking leaves. Working in a company is all about teamwork. If you’re taking leave at a crucial time when your team needs you, that might affect the entire organization badly. Check out your teammates’ schedules and avoid taking leaves when there are too many tasks to complete unless it is absolutely necessary.

3. Discuss with your supervisor

Instead of randomly bringing the subject up, it’s advisable to schedule a meeting with your supervisor regarding taking leaves. The best time to do that would be once you’re done with all the tasks of the day. If you’re comfortable stating the reason, say a wedding maybe, then let your supervisor know about it. All these increase the chances of your request being approved. 

4. Write a formal mail

It’s best to send your leave request as an email after talking to your supervisor so that there’s a written record of it. Here’s a sample email body for a leave request:

Hello Steve, 

I hope this email finds you well. I’m writing to request time off from Jan 30 to Feb 2 for a vacation planned with my family. If it works for the team, please let me know. I will be available via phone and email in case of any emergency during my vacation.  

5. Don’t feel guilty

We’re conditioned to believe that taking a day off means being unproductive. This is an entirely wrong notion because taking time off from work will help you recharge your batteries and become more efficient when you come back to work. So stop feeling guilty about it.

Being ‘Employee of the Year’ is great, but not at the cost of your well-being. It’s okay to take time off from work when you feel the need to. It can be stressful to ask for leaves but if you follow the tips given in this article, then your boss will totally approve your leave requests.