# Post-vacation question: are you happy to be back to work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506 "2011-08-29T16:12:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/1 "2011-08-29T16:12:25Z")
It’s common for co-workers to say “Welcome back!” when someone returns from vacation. I usually reply with a unintelligible grunt or a half-hearted thanks. What I find strange is when people reply, “It’s \*\*good \*\*to be back!”…and they mean it. A couple of my office mates have no life outside of work…they’d never take a vacation of their own volition. To them, work IS their life, and they’re happy as clams to be back at their desks. Good for them, I guess. The first day back for me is depressing. I’m not at all happy to be sitting at my desk in my business-appropriate clothes instead of out gallivanting around in t-shirts, shorts and sandals. The glare of the fluorescent lights and the whir of the office printer is no substitute for sunshine and the wind in the trees. Yes, I know that coming back to work is a necessary component for taking that vacation, but there’s no way that I’m \*happy \*to be back in my cube. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/2 "2011-08-29T16:27:38Z")
I’ve had vacations where I wore myself out to the point that I was glad to be back at work so I could get a little rest. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/3 "2011-08-29T16:38:18Z")
No. Never. American vacations are so damn short that you’re back at work before you hardly get used to being off. I’m unemployed now. And were it not for the shame that is daily heaped upon such a position, I’d be having the time of my life. I’m not missing work a bit. I have to force myself to look for work, because I need the money, and it’s so damned degrading in this society to be without a job. But when land a job, will I be happy? No. Relieved, yes. But happy? No. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/4 "2011-08-29T16:52:25Z")
I work to pay for the things I like to do. Returning to work following a vacation is never a happy day, but it’s a necessity. I’d much rather sleep in ‘til 10:00 every day and feel energized and ready to have fun rather than drag my exhausted ass in to the office at freakin’ 7:00 am (whoever thought starting the work day that early is a good idea needs to be savagely beaten, IMHO). If I ever win the big one in the lottery, the company will be receiving my notice by e-mail as I make the dash to the airport to take the next flight to somewhere exotic. Doesn’t matter where, as long as it is far, far away from work. In the meantime, I’m counting the days until I hit 10 years with this company and am granted a fourth week of vacation (woo-hoo!). Less than 3 years left to go… Vacation starts at end of business Friday for me. Yay! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/5 "2011-08-29T16:55:07Z")
Nope. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/6 "2011-08-29T16:55:15Z")
I _like_ to work, so I’m always glad to be back. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/7 "2011-08-29T17:01:07Z")
While I enjoy the work I do and like the people I work with, it still pales in comparison to the time I’m usually having while on vacation. So heck no, I’d always rather still be wherever I was kickin’ back. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/8 "2011-08-29T17:02:06Z")
I like my job but I’m still never glad to be back from vacation. Happy to see some of my coworkers - sure but I’m definitely not one of those people who claim when they come into life changing amounts of money that they’ll be back shoveling shit the next day because they love their work. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/9 "2011-08-29T18:04:38Z")
I am back at work after two and a half weeks off today. I can’t say I’m overjoyed to be at work per se, but vacationing with kids is kind of exhausting. I’m glad that the kids are back to school today and our whole family is getting back into routine. ---
**Author:** ![Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@Lo-Slung\_Denim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lo-Slung_Denim)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/10 "2011-08-29T18:09:05Z")
I’m rarely happier to be back at work than on vacation as a rule. However… I have had horrible holidays where work has been preferable to spending another minute ‘relaxing’ away! I feel useful at work; I know I’m good at my job and I like feeling purposeful. I relish the delicious feeling of having no purpose and therefore no stress - for a while. Then when I get back to work sometimes it can feel good to have a role again. ---
**Author:** ![Bri2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/48db29/32.png) [@Bri2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bri2k)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/11 "2011-08-29T18:09:24Z")
I’m with you, **blondebear**! Time off is always way too short and there’s always some bosshead that expects you to work twice as hard when you get back as if you should make up for taking a vacation in the first place. Bri2k ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/12 "2011-08-29T18:36:03Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > What I find strange is when people reply, “It’s \*\*good \*\*to be back!”…and they mean it.? Are you sure they mean it? I’ve said that as a reflex, in the same way I say “fine, thanks! how are you?”. I’ve never been glad to be back at work whether I’ve been for a night or a month, but I try to hide that fact from my innocent coworkers. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/13 "2011-08-29T18:50:32Z")
There have been times that I’ve been glad to get _home_ from a trip, even if it was a very enjoyable one. Traveling can be exhausting, and there’s nothing like sleeping in one’s own bed. But glad to be back at _work_? Nope. I really don’t mind my job; I know it’s necessary, and the end of the vacation is inevitable, so I make the best of it. But “glad” is a huuuge stretch. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/14 "2011-08-29T19:23:22Z")
Not a chance in hell. This place is depressing ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/15 "2011-08-30T14:19:12Z")
I teach high school English. My students are teenagers. The same age as the kids who were murdered at Utøya. Even though I knew ahead of time that they were all safe, I couldn’t sleep the night before school started. Walking through the halls during breaks and seeing all those wonderful young people so happy and healthy and alive – it did my soul good. I’m happy to come back after breaks anyway. I like teaching, and I like teenagers. But sometimes “glad to be back” has a deeper meaning, and this was about a thousand of those times all at once. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/16 "2011-08-30T16:45:16Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Traveling can be exhausting, and there’s nothing like sleeping in one’s own bed. Funny thing, one of the reasons I love going on vacation (at least to the spots I’ve been going lately) is that it’s so much QUIETER at night, and I can get a full night’s sleep. At home I get woken up almost every night by car alarms going off or motorcycles blasting down the street after closing time at the local biker bar. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/17 "2011-08-30T18:21:11Z")
Coming back to work blows dead animals. As I get older, it gets harder every year. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/18 "2011-08-30T18:49:56Z")
Yeah, just about anything is better than work. Even the two weeks off after the birth of the newborn, sleeplessness, chores, and general exhaustion were still better than work. Something like a trip to Italy isn’t even on the same continent as being close to as good as work. What sucks is when you start dreading returning to work halfway through your vacation. I have to think there’s something wrong with me and/or my job if that’s the case. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/19 "2011-08-30T19:57:47Z")
Ew, no. I don’t really get along with people who treat this job as anything more than a necessary evil. I simply can’t talk to people who like this job, because the only way to like this job is to have a low IQ, to be incuriously unobservant, or to have extremely low standards. To be fair, I did have extremely low standards for a job when I started here. I did like my job for a while. But after 3 years I’ve seen this place for what it really is, instead of what cheery emails from bosses say it is. Anyone who’s been here for more than a year and isn’t disenchanted with the job isn’t doing it properly. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506/20 "2011-08-31T10:42:20Z")
This year I’ve been on “vacation” twice: the first time was my choice, I looked forward to it, got to do what I wanted to do; in other words, it did deserve the name vacation. But the way I got it was by staying “between projects”; I ended it (my choice) once I felt ready to take a new project. So yeah, since the end of that vacation took place when I chose to end it and it meant getting paid again, I was glad to be at work. The second time was forced and didn’t deserve the name, hence the quotes above. I didn’t particularly want to have vacation at that point, would much rather have saved days for later, and it was basically a rush between the hospital in our local capital (where The Nephew had had surgery, he’s fine), the hospital in the town where Mom and my brothers live (for a gastro appointment for Mom; she’s not doing what the doctor said to do, which is normal behavior for her), Mom’s house, my house. I didn’t want to go on vacation at that point, don’t get paid while on vacation, and didn’t get a lot of good out of it. So yeah, I was glad to be back at work - it spares me from grabbing Mom’s phone, calling the gastro and explaining what Mom is actually doing while fighting her for control of it (I’ve threatened with using SiL-the-doctor as a go-between, if Mom doesn’t call the gastro). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-vacation-question-are-you-happy-to-be-back-to-work/594506.md?page=2)