Is this out of line? I dont want my job calling me while I'm off

[Joeyvee]

I get a TON of BS calls when I'm off from work and one call can ruin my whole day. It's always nonsense too. I took a saturday off for my birthday. I usually have sunday and monday off. I dont wanna be bothered. I will be camping, golfing, surfing and trying to ufcking relax for once.. this is the email I may send
hey guys. So this weekend into Monday I will be on a buddhist retreat in the woods. I will have my phone for emergencies, (I don't consider anything work related an emergency) but I probably wont have service and the whole idea of what I'm doing is to not be disturbed. If you call the phone will probably be off, but I may need to turn it on for GPS or something but I will be in nature and would prefer no phone calls. I'm not asking you to handle my problems for me, but maybe just explain to any unhappy clients that I can't be reached and they'll just have to wait until Tuesday. If they want to cancel I would rather them cancel than have this weekend ruined. It's very important to me and I've been waiting over a year for it.

The thing is if I say I wont have my phone they'll call and leave voicemails to cover their ass and then I'll see the voicemails and it will bother me and I'll call back to straghten it out so I can relax but that never happens. Lately I have been getting a ridiculous amount of calls on my days off. I mean if I worked a regular 9-5 M-F would anyone call me on a saturday night? NO.
I need to know how to etll them to STOP calling me on my days off.

[deronsizemore]

I need to know how to etll them to STOP calling me on my days off.

How about

: "Stop calling me on my days off." Seriously though, sounds like you either 1.) just tell them you're off work and you're not available 2.) Set your voicemail to notify them that you're off work and not available. Then, if they leave voicemail, just don't check it. Settle it when you're back at work. Also, you're in Hawaii! How can you not relax? lol

[Fat Slice]

What are you, a drug dealer? J/K

You have to train people to respect your time off. My brother's voicemail says "If you get this message, you need to email me, because I am unavailable an do NOT EVER check messages here." It's been 5 years and it seems to work for him.

[NI4NI]

Don't let anyone ruin a day off for you. Leave your out of office message (along with your backup's contact info, if available), inform co-workers that you are out of the office, and then enjoy it. If you need to power down, then do it. Else, just leave your phone on quiet/vibrate if you need it for something else, but don't react to it. No one should be able to piss you off that much on your time; let it go until you're back at work.

[Joeyvee]

That's the thing. I don't have an important job. I'm in ufcking retail. It's weird, it's like noone in this company respects any sort of boundaries. I've had critical 6 and 7 figure deals hit speedbumps in the past and I DID NOT work on weekends or take calls after 6. EVER. Why should a $2000 mattress ruin my weekend? It's unacceptable.

As far as leaving the phone off I can't and shouldn't have to. I want my friends and family to be able to reach me. Just not work. If I tell them it will be off they'll call immediately so if anything happens they can say "oh well I dunno I left Joe a message, its on him now."

As a matter of fact I may just change the number listed for me too. I'm sick of getting calls on my days off over $25 or $50.

[Rexx]

Is it a work phone (i.e. is work paying for the phone?)? Is part of your responsibilities to be on-call? What does your boss think your responsibilities are in regards to off-hours? You can certainly turn off and ignore the phone, but depending on circumstances, your future at the company may be affected -- not saying you'll be fired, but pay raises and promotions could be affected -- unless you find out these answers.

[NI4NI]

I don't know if you work off commission, and so when customers come in either with your business card or are asking for you, your co-workers want you directly involved. I worked in retail through college, and some co-workers would steal your contacts if you weren't around. If this is off base then you need to have a big ole' pow-wow at work, and lay the law down. Then get mgmt involved if it continues; it's your time after all. Again, I would just flat-out ignore work related calls. Period.

[Joeyvee]

I can't just ignore work calls because I just start wondering what happened until I call. I am on commission. sometimes people will come n with a quote and maybe I didnt put free delivery on it or something stupid so they'll just call me to verify and it's annoying. I asked my boss once "is this worth a call to me on my day off?, Just give it to em." He didn't like that but its true. It may have made a $3 difference in my paycheck. Im just going to tell them dont call me on my days off. Sorry. I dont wanna be bothered. I'm definietly not the best employee either so that factors into it in my head. If you're the #1 producer you can pull whatever you like. Guys in the middle may need to make a little extra effort and I do. 51.5 weeks a year. I just want these 3 days.

[Fraser]

I'd say it depends on your line of work whether or not you should be expected to keep in touch on your days off.

Personally I work with a small group of clients at a time, I tell them when I'll be out of the office and who to contact with problems. I'll delegate the handling of any issues to specified people and have yet to be called or emailed yet. Within the office time off is very well respected and most people would never consider contacting someone whilst away.

The flip side of the coin my father had a job where significant bonuses and commissions (six figures worth to him) related to deals that went through. He has cancelled holidays at short notice (my mother, brother and I would go on our own) and even left to go back to the office midway through a trip. However, he was well compensated for things like that and it was expected that situations like that would occur.

[SpoiledRotten]

"I will be on vacation during the next week with limited or no access to a phone or email."

Simple. It's a respectful away message and you are letting people know that you will not be responding. If they still send you a call or email, then ignore it, but you have let them know ahead of time. If you answer, they will continue. Again... simple.

[double_j]

Just be direct and set the right expectations that you will not be available during that time, no excuses needed. It's perfectly reasonable and almost everybody will understand (short of there being a known upcoming commitment, etc. that you should plan for in advance or make sure is otherwise covered).

Time off is time off. I know it's hard to let go sometimes, but it might surprise you that the place will not spontaneously burst into flames while you're out of the office. That said, maybe this is your chance to give an underling, etc. a chance to shine by handling some of the situations that may arise? Regardless, the important thing is to set the right expectations, anticipate things that might come up, plan in advance, and to be clear with your directions.

Of course, you do need to make sure that you're not dropping any balls or leaving any pending items hanging by taking time off. Your commitments are your commitments no matter what.

[newtogolf]

If they call you when you are off as a means to cover their own butts I doubt telling them to not call will change the behavior. An advice columist once said you can't be repeatedly imposed upon unless you allow yourself to be. You set the precedent that you take calls when you're off. You took it even a step further when you called back after they left voice mail. Maybe deep down you like being that key guy that everyone goes to.

I own and manage two businesses. I don't answer calls if I don't want to be bothered, and I certainly don't listen to or return voice mails when I'm busy doing something and don't wish to be disturbed. Maybe you need to look inside yourself, figure out why you answer their calls when you're off, why it bothers you so much when they leave a voice mail to the point that you have to listen to them and return the call.

I think if you really wanted to put an end to it, and not just complain about it, you'd have found a way to deal with it.

[TourSpoon]

When I am off from work, I just turn my work phone off, period. I don't check it until Monday morning. I used to be a pavlovian dog when it came to technology until I realized that it could work for me.

In your case, I would ask someone who is working to cover all your business and to make the best decisions in your behalf. I would then tell everyone that you will not be available for those days and then either turn your phone off or disable your messaging service.

[shades9323]

Just because a phone rings, it doesn't mean you have to answer it.

[jallen100]

I can't say I blame you. When I leave my job for the day, weekend, whatever then I leave it. Don't bother me unless the building is burning to the ground.

[Kieran123]

Ummm...how about "I am away for *insert number of says off* and will not be available by phone"

It's not hard.

Or.....don't answer???

[Mattplusness]

That's the thing. I don't have an important job. I'm in ufcking retail. It's weird, it's like noone in this company respects any sort of boundaries. I've had critical 6 and 7 figure deals hit speedbumps in the past and I DID NOT work on weekends or take calls after 6. EVER. Why should a $2000 mattress ruin my weekend? It's unacceptable.

Same thing used to happen to me when I was in retail, I just got everyone's number, put it in my phone, and ignored everyone. Especially when it was a saturday or sunday and I worked the last 6 days!

[Slammin' Sam]

I hate to ask the obvious, but hasn't someone been designated to handle your decisionmaking while you're away? It's been my experience that if I leave clear instructions that all inquiries should be addressed to Mr. _____ or Ms.______ while I'm away that greatly reduces or eliminates the calls. It worked for me when I worked retail to put myself through law school and it still works for me as a lawyer.