Playing hookie from work

I think I'm going to find a shady spot in the park and read for a few hours. Yeah, that sounds nice.

how can it be wrong when it feels so right!

Use sunscreen and you'll be fine. Do you have a problem @ work if you show up with a George Hamilton-style tan after having told them you're at death's door?

I do it - AND feel guilty.

Man, that's dumb.

One of the advantages of working for yourself is being able to regulate your own schedule. I take days off regularly. Of course, I work overtime on other days to make up for it, but it's worth it.

I have a personal top ten list of excuses for ditching work. Anybody want to hear them?
(I'll go look 'em up...)

Yeah, do share them, Letty!

I never miss work, unless I earnestly am ill-- I can't Not concentrate when I'm sick; and feeling that I have work to catch up on really stresses me out.. I like everything to be done one day, to be done that day, etc.

kicky, that's not playing hooky, it's called a "mental health" day.

What is "Sick day?"

Roger took my line.....

I got tired over the years of what I learned to consider arbitrary deadlines. Ones that made folks do a series of overnighters to meet a deadline that was only of a kind of pacing importance. Having come from a world of real stat tests in a hospital lab, I tried and did meet deadlines for years in my later design field, but now I can set the schedules, at least most of the time. Having control can be abused with lazy behavior, but mostly one still wants to get work out the door, if only to get paid, but also to perform in a timely fashion. What used to gnaw my elbows was the renewable crisis timing of inappropriate hurry ups.

Now having worked for myself for almost twenty years, with or without a business partner, I have much more serenity about my work week, not feeling like I am trapped in someone's building boxed set.

And yeah, sometimes one of us just goes off shopping, or walking the dog(s). Last week, we closed the place and went down the street to a bar and watched the Belmont race..

i do it all the time; but i don't feel 'guilty' when i do it (as a matter of fact i never, ever feel guilty, about anything!), i feel poorer, because i work for myself.

I use to go to work when I was sick and take my sick days when I was feeling great :-D

Me too. Though I haven't done it in a while. I had 10 days off with a broken toe a couple of months ago, so I don't think I'll be able to take a stress free day for a while.

my place has a policy about taking sick days: you have to be sick, or have a doctor or dentist appt; you're not allowed to use sick time for a "mental health" day (you have to use vacation time).
i try to take at least one day off a month -- sometimes i'm "sick", sometimes i use vac time...

My Top Ten Get-Away-For-A-Day Excuses
(This is how I survive.)

10. That Communication Device Isn't Working
9. 102-degree fever: Doctor's Orders
8. On Location for Photo Shoot
7. Brainstorming Time Required
6. Checking Out Your Competition
5. Sick Child
4. Deadline for Another Client
3. Holed Up Writing
2. Out-of-Town Consulting

and, my number one excuse...

1. Power Outage

My alarm clock didn't go off and by the time I woke up, it was the end of the work day, lol!

I love it, Montana! Too bad it wouldn't fly with clients.

"The building site plan was incorrect."

This is often a safe bet.

But, would they then expect to see you on site? Or expect to see a new set of drawings?

I have an architect friend who uses a similar excuse. He calls up the general contractor and asks for written verification that a long list of items has been built/installed EXACTLY to specs. Then he takes the rest of the day off. Claims he was waiting on the g.c.