Morning Brew - ⛱I’m OOO (and that’s OK!)

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

Sweaty besties! Meet Duradry, the three-step solution for anyone over their endless soggy suffering.

Add some Black-owned restaurants, food trucks, and eateries to your summer must-try list with the EatOkra directory app.

Poor performance reviews suck. But that doesn’t mean you have to just sit and take it. Check out HBR’s six steps for getting ahead of bad feedback.

What’s top of mind at the watercooler.

You need to take PTO—period. Remember, PTO is part of your total compensation, so if you’re not taking it, you’re basically leaving money on the table. For tips on taking PTO the right way, Sidekick sat for a chat with Morning Brew’s very own Jack Appleby, creator and writer for Future Social.

“So many of us view PTO as: ‘If I’m not at work, something’s gonna fall apart.’ Or, ‘If I’m not at work, someone else is going to do my job for me,’” Appleby said. “That is literally the point of PTO—to take time off.”

Yes, the world will keep spinning even if you go off the corporate grid for four days. But like everything, there’s a right way to do it…and a way less right way. So follow these tips:

• Don’t justify, overexplain, or apologize. “Because of power dynamics in the manager-employee relationship, our natural instinct is to compromise first when really we should stand up and pitch what we want before we immediately [start] to compromise,” Appleby said. Stop feeling guilty, be assertive about your entitlement to vacation time, and reaffirm that you will get coverage.
• Make sure your team is prepared. “Whenever you take PTO, you should communicate far ahead of time how your job is going to be handled while you’re out,” Appleby told Sidekick. To do so, email your manager with points of contact in your absence and create a document with project updates and relevant links that may be needed.
• Take it anyway, even when you’re “needed.” It’s your responsibility to set boundaries. “People are afraid they’re going to lose their jobs or it’s going to affect their professional relationships, but I think personal boundaries [are important],” Appleby said. “The best thing you could do is make sure you submit [the request] early.”
• Log out and delete all your communication channels. Yes, delete the apps. Don’t just turn off notifications. “It’s not only important for us to disconnect, but also for our organizations,” Appleby said. “If you’re responding to communications during PTO, you’re setting [a precedent]. You can always reinstall these apps pretty easily.” And don’t hand out your personal number or other contact information “for emergencies” to just anyone, he added. Most of the time, it’s not an emergency.

Say it with us: “We deserve PTO and should take it as often as we need.” Now go get those plane tickets!—SS

You’ve taken our quiz (right?!) and know your travel personality, so let’s talk business. How do you avoid expensive flights? Deal with delays and cancellations? Duck last-minute surcharges for luggage? All hail Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at Scott’s Cheap Flights, who’s here to answer all of your questions. (Bc you’re going to want all the inside scoop you can get during this particularly chaotic travel season.)

Pearls of career wisdom.

“My advice is for managers to focus on breaking down stigmas around mental health and make it easy for their employees to feel that they can speak openly. One of the most important things managers can do is to ask people what’s important to them and to reiterate that inclusiveness is valued. Senior leaders are responsible for creating an environment where talking about well-being is not only accepted, but encouraged. This means having candid conversations with your employees and instilling trust.”—Bruce Larson, chief human resources officer (CHRO) at Carlyle

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Listen: In this episode of Slate’s Working podcast, bookstagrammer Jordan Moblo (80k+ followers! ) reveals how he crafts posts on his wildly successful #bookstagram and gives tips on how to get on pre-publication mailing lists. After listening to this, I might dust off my own bookstagram.

Read: Dear whoever said “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” I regret to inform you it’s way too late. Book covers have always been an aesthetic trend, and the latest cycle is giving My Year of Rest and Relaxation vibes, aka the intersection of “the feminine and the macabre.”

Eat: Transport yourself to the Caribbean and excite your taste buds with this vegan Puerto Rican Mofongo. It’s only, like, the best plantain dish ever.

Money Moves: You can either fall down an investing rabbit hole or you can just sign up to Money With Katie’s Investing 101 email series. The choice seems clear to us—sign up for free.