This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Aly Rusciano is a Creative Writer based outside of Nashville, Tennessee. She has over ten years of experience in creative, academic, and professional writing. Aly’s writing has been nationally recognized in the Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle and featured in Blue Marble Review, The Sunshine Review, PopMatters, and Cathartic Literary Magazine. She graduated from The University of Tennessee at Martin with a BA in English, focusing in Creative Writing and minoring in Theatre.
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Are you feeling burnt out from working long hours? Do you simply want a break? Well, playing hooky may be your best option! Sometimes you just need a day to yourself to reset and recharge. If you don’t have any sick days or vacation time, skipping a day of work with a simple excuse could give you the mental health break you need. Playing hooky is easy, but it’s important to understand the risks. In this article, we’ll share the hows, why, and whats of playing hooky from work, so keep reading to learn more.
Things You Should Know
- Consider skipping work once or twice a year when you need to slow down or take a break.
- Come up with a valid excuse that’s to the point, so your boss doesn’t catch you in the act.
- Spend your hooky day sleeping in, traveling, or hanging out with friends.
Steps
How to Play Hooky without Getting Caught
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1Give your boss an excuse for why you can’t work. Call your boss or leave them a message on the morning of your hooky day to tell them why you aren’t able to work. Avoid using bizarre, over-the-top excuses so your boss doesn’t get suspicious—the simpler, the better. Here are some believable excuses you could use:
- Feeling unwell
- Food poisoning
- Have to deal with a personal or family issue
- Escaped pet
- Plumbing issue
- Aiding an elderly parent
- Consider telling your boss the truth if you need a day to recharge mentally—you want to be the best you can be at work, and you can’t do that if you’re burnt out or mentally struggling.
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2Stay off social media. Nowadays, everyone’s whereabouts are recorded on social media. Avoid using social media before, during, and after playing hooky. This way, your sneaky behavior can’t be traced back to you. Scrolling is okay, but stay clear from posting honest status updates or pictures that show you’re not at work and not where you told your boss you’d be.
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3Keep your excuses and explanations short and sweet. When you go back to work after playing hooky, there’s no need to go into details about why you were gone. Stick to simple and vague explanations that are consistent with your initial excuse. You may say something like:
- “I had an upset stomach. But whatever it was passed, thank goodness!”
- “I woke up to the toilet overflowing! Thankfully, I stopped and fixed it myself, but I didn’t want to leave and return to a flooded apartment if it started again.”
- “There was a family emergency, but everything’s alright. Thank you for giving me the day.”
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4Work extra hard the following day. Now that you’ve had your day to recharge, make up for the time you missed by being productive. Working diligently can help ease any suspicions your boss may have about your day off.
- If you don’t feel recharged after playing hooky, that’s okay. Sometimes you need a longer break or extra help. Reach out to your boss or coworkers to express that you’re struggling at work—they may be able to lessen your workload or help you take more time to rest and recuperate.
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5Avoid playing hooky too often. The more often you play hooky, the more likely you'll get caught. Try only playing hooky from work once or twice a year to avoid suspicions. It’s better to get permission or have a reason to skip work than repeatedly coming up with excuses that don’t add up long-term.
References
- ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hooky
- ↑ https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2018/06/vacation-recharges-workers
- ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB976896126752601857
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2018/05/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-day-off
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2018/05/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-day-off
- ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature
- ↑ https://www.cosmopolitan.com/career/advice/a3523/day-off-activities/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2018/05/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-day-off
- ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB976896126752601857
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