Skip a vacation to work?

VenomVeins

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In the past year i’ve dealt with the death of 3 very close family members.

2 of them to cancer, with one being excruciatingly painful and long with many chemo treatments over the course of a year.

They ALL said the same thing: They wished they had worked less and spent more time with the people they love and seen places they had always wanted to go.

Life is short-enjoy the small amount of vacation time you have in between work.


Or dont.

If one sacrificed week makes the rest of your life much better, then do it.


Let us know what you decide.
 

My94GT

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Depends on where you are in your career now. In years past I’d say work, but now I’m comfortable and I regret missing opportunities to vacation.

If you are fiscally doing well then I’d take the vacation. Also it’s the contractor who is in the bind not you, don’t let yourself become a welcome mat per say. If they can’t wait while you’re on vacation maybe that’s not the people you want to have sub jobs to you.
 

tistan

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I'd go on vacation. If they were really that hard up for help, they'd be delighted to have it when you return. If they just can't wait, then you don't want to work for them anyway, because every day will be a new can't wait emergency.
 

Smooth

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I'd go on vacation. If they were really that hard up for help, they'd be delighted to have it when you return. If they just can't wait, then you don't want to work for them anyway, because every day will be a new can't wait emergency.
This right here. There's a lot to be said about where you set the bar.
 

nxhappy

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In the past year i’ve dealt with the death of 3 very close family members.

2 of them to cancer, with one being excruciatingly painful and long with many chemo treatments over the course of a year.

They ALL said the same thing: They wished they had worked less and spent more time with the people they love and seen places they had always wanted to go.

Life is short-enjoy the small amount of vacation time you have in between work.


Or dont.

If one sacrificed week makes the rest of your life much better, then do it.


Let us know what you decide.
amen to that brother
 

CV355

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Take the vacation
Don't make the mistake I made for the last 16 years. 4 weeks is all I've taken off. '05, '10, '13, and '18. I was so focused on working, rebuilding after constant losses, and getting to where I thought I "should" be that I forfeited most of my vacation time and time I should have been spending with family. The company I left in February got a ridiculous amount of "Free" work out of me, and then refused to pay out on the vacation I had when I quit. It's not worth it. Reverse time travel will never exist because I'd have/will? gone back to kick my own ass 10 times over by now.

If they need the help that bad, one week won't make a difference.
 

Outlaw99

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When i went to maui in 2015, the dealership asked me not to go 24 hours before i flew out. When i said not a chance in hell, they offered me $2500 incentive to stay. I still said nope.

Your failure to plan and staff accordingly after my year and a half notice of vacation is not my problem. See you in 2 weeks.

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04YellowGT

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My dad owned his own business (engineering and fabrication). I can't tell you how many birthdays and holidays he missed. I can't tell you how many vacations we went on where he worked most if not the entire vacation and he might as well not been there. He is a multi-millionaire with more money than he knows what to do with. He is also divorced and he and I's relationship is OK but not your typical father son relationship. I've spoken with him multiple times and he always says he'd give up all the money just to do things differently. Money isn't everything and it won't prevent the inevitable. I say go on vacation. << This coming from the guy that turned down taking over his father's business because of what he saw growing up.
 

geoffmt

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Everybody here makes points that are 100% valid. All I’d like to add is just make sure that, if you and your wife decide together to stay home and work in an attempt to seize this opportunity, make sure you take that vacation the first chance you get.

Best of luck to you sir.

This was my line of thinking! The other is disclosure to the company that you had a family vacation previously planned, you would love to do the work and continue projects with them. Sometimes that’s all you need to do. I just started a new job this Jan, in the interview I mentioned a family trip to go see my grandma in Mobile Alabama that was already planned and tickets bought. My operations managers appreciated my straight forward statement that family is important, and comes first. Not only did he hire me and give me the time off, he added those 4 days I was gone to my allotted vacation time. So basically paid me to go. He has my loyalty!


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Double"O"

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20 years ago...absolutely...today **** no

I do my 40 and call it good, I hate the tax man and I value my time very highly
 

_Snake_

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I’d talk to some of the decision makers in the company before getting your hopes up / making assumptions and postponing your vacation.

One of those “if this goes well and you’re happy with the work, what does our future business partnership look like?” questions.

Make sure they understand your hopes/expectations so that this isn’t the start of a relationship where the only thing you’re doing is repeatedly canceling plans to bail them out.

Even with great work, they might not consider your company long term because it’s too small, too expensive, or too _________________ (fill in the blank).
 
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Mpoitrast87

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In the past year i’ve dealt with the death of 3 very close family members.

2 of them to cancer, with one being excruciatingly painful and long with many chemo treatments over the course of a year.

They ALL said the same thing: They wished they had worked less and spent more time with the people they love and seen places they had always wanted to go.

Life is short-enjoy the small amount of vacation time you have in between work.


Or dont.

If one sacrificed week makes the rest of your life much better, then do it.


Let us know what you decide.
But, it always comes back to needing money to see those places. Id LOVE to go to Europe and all that fun stuff but, cant afford it.
 

nxhappy

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My dad owned his own business (engineering and fabrication). I can't tell you how many birthdays and holidays he missed. I can't tell you how many vacations we went on where he worked most if not the entire vacation and he might as well not been there. He is a multi-millionaire with more money than he knows what to do with. He is also divorced and he and I's relationship is OK but not your typical father son relationship. I've spoken with him multiple times and he always says he'd give up all the money just to do things differently. Money isn't everything and it won't prevent the inevitable. I say go on vacation. << This coming from the guy that turned down taking over his father's business because of what he saw growing up.
I agree with you man. Money CAN make you somewhat happy.....the toys, the nice house, eating out, parties.... But at some point you gotta take a break and chill the **** out. Especially if you have your own family. Gotta take the kids out and make memories. No amount of money can pay for those memories. Honestly, you could die tomorrow, and that's all she wrote. Also gotta mention....scientists have linked vacation to longer living =)
 

Blk04L

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My dad owned his own business (engineering and fabrication). I can't tell you how many birthdays and holidays he missed. I can't tell you how many vacations we went on where he worked most if not the entire vacation and he might as well not been there. He is a multi-millionaire with more money than he knows what to do with. He is also divorced and he and I's relationship is OK but not your typical father son relationship. I've spoken with him multiple times and he always says he'd give up all the money just to do things differently. Money isn't everything and it won't prevent the inevitable. I say go on vacation. << This coming from the guy that turned down taking over his father's business because of what he saw growing up.

My father was the same way at first early on in mine and my sisters early life. Working 80-96++ hours a week he missed quite a bit of our early childhood.
Luckily, he caught his break early and was able to scale back work to spend more time with us. But he still has regrets over missing a lot of milestones that we had between 0-4~5 years old.
I get it, he had to bust his ass to get established, but I feel like he would trade it to relive those moments to see us more.
 

Stanger00

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Isn’t there a bid process? Sounds like developer provides raw materials and you would just show up to rough-in and after inspection you terminate electrical systems?

But still, wouldn’t you need to submit your bid and then go from there?

I wouldn’t skip a planned vacation but then again I’m not a small business owner and single man operation.


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Kevins89notch

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OP, can you speak to them and explain that you have a sincere interest in helping them, but you've already planned this family vacation and being a man of your work, and a family man, you'll going to have to pass, but would really appreciate another call once you're home. I think if you can get that message to the right person, they will respect you even more.

But, it always comes back to needing money to see those places. Id LOVE to go to Europe and all that fun stuff but, cant afford it.

Europe doesn't have to be expensive. Flights can be had under $500 easily from the east coast...but that is per person. A family of 4, yeah, things do get expensive.
 

7998

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I don't/won't work for developers, they pay shit, they pay slow, and they always like to string their subs out to finance the project. Perhaps they're more ethical in Mass. and being it is your friend maybe it's different.
There is so much work right now that I and most contractors I know can afford to be picky. Enjoy it while it lasts though because it won't last.

I'd go on vacation, that job will be there when you get back. And if it isn't then they were just trying teach a lesson to their normal electrician by showing him he was replaceable.
 

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