Did you take yesterday off (if you’re in the USA, that is)? And by “off” I mean you did not go into the office/studio, or check your professional email, or answer your phone (for business), or shoot, or do anything other than participate in a holiday observance and/or head for a relaxing corner somewhere and do whatever it is that you do to relax? It would have been better on several fronts if you had taken the day off.
The US work culture has become increasingly anti-worker (at whatever level–execs too!) in part by essentially “demanding” that doors remain open on holidays, phones answered, and “work” accomplished. The thing is, not enough real work gets done to validate the stress and resentment working a holiday causes. Workers (again, of all levels) resent having to work when the government isn’t (no cracks about it never really working, TYVM) and heaven forbid a manager takes the day but requires workers to come in–that’s a great way to doom a company. As for those of you with one-person companies, you need to take the days for, if nothing else, your mental health. A 3-day weekend will definitely help you get rid of some of the stress hormones in your system and you will feel happier (if you don’t guilt yourself for not working!).
Of course, there are the rare cases when the dream client calls on that one day; but you know what–if they really want you, they will be happy to leave a voicemail for you and will look forward to your return call on the next day. The chances of you losing a great gig because you didn’t work a holiday are so slim as to make lotto-playing seem like a sound investment.
Now, if you really want to be fair and fantastic about not working the holidays, you need to walk the other side of that walk as well–do not do things that require others to work that day. For example, do not shop on a holiday. I realized this as soon as I got to the grocery store yesterday morning–I didn’t need to shop that day but I did it because it was open and convenient for me (because I had the day off). The workers, though, I bet, would have been happier doing something with their families or friends rather than stocking a shelf or ringing up a self-absorbed customer like me (especially if they were not paid overtime/extra for the inconvenience).
If that store had been closed I would have waited and shopped there today, so it’s not like the company would have lost business. And in real shopping “emergencies,” there are the classic 24/7 shops.
This is my new commitment to my business: we will be closed on all holidays and on those holidays we will not do things that make others work unnecessarily (like shopping).
For your business, the next time a holiday comes about, take it off and encourage the other business-people and companies out there to do the same. We all can use the time to (re)build personal relationships and we’re all more effective and productive after time off–so it’s actually good for you, your employees, and your business.