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Additional Posts in EAs / Executive Assistants
Anyone an EA at Citadel? Do you like it?
How’s everyone holding up?
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Try to be proactive and set up a coverage plan before you go
I experienced the same, I just got back from being sick and came back to over 150 emails and tons of work that someone could have handled. I do everything and when I’m out everything seems to fall apart or no one seems to know what is going on, but when others are out, I am expected to help with their case load. This is just the way some of these offices are set up nowadays.
Yes, especially at law firms in my experience.
When I plan to take PTO, I complete what I can and as much as I can. However, I meet with my bosses and ask how they’d like certain things handled ? Can it wait til I get back or would they like to assign someone else while I’m out? But this is a practice I share with the other assistants so it’s not overwhelming when anyone gets back.
I always have the same experience. There is just me who does ALL the admin/OM work for my office, which is set to increase. I have been helping another agency in our group with admin while their person’s been off long-term sick. There isn’t anyone to hand work to, therefore it’s not possible to have a coverage plan.
Work ahead as much as you humanly can. And when you think you've reached a good stopping point, shake yourself and work some more. There's always going to be something waiting for you when you get back, but if you think far enough ahead, you should be able to keep your first day back from being absolute chaos.
For kicks, it copied and pasted your question in ChatGPT and here is the response it gave, which is mostly how I handle my time off (pat on the back for me! LOL):
This is such a real issue for EAs. If PTO feels like a punishment, something in the system needs adjusting, not your vacation time.
A few things that have helped me:
1. Build a “PTO runway” instead of a last-minute scramble.
About 2–3 weeks before I’m out, I start quietly shifting timelines. If something can be done early, I do it early. If something can wait, I formally move it. I don’t just hope it holds.
2. Create a simple coverage map.
Even if there isn’t formal backup, I document:
What must be monitored daily
What can wait
Who to contact for true emergencies
I send this to my executive and any key stakeholders before I leave. It sets expectations that not everything is being watched in real time.
3. Reset expectations publicly.
In my OOO message, I include:
The dates I’m out
Who to contact for urgent matters
A note that I will respond after I return
If you answer emails while away, you train people that PTO is flexible. If you don’t, you teach them it’s real.
4. Protect your re-entry day.
I block at least half a day, sometimes a full day, on my calendar as “Re-Entry / Admin Reset.” No meetings. Just triage. That single move has saved me weeks of stress.
5. Debrief with your executive.
If you consistently come back to chaos, it’s worth a calm conversation:
“When I return from PTO, it takes weeks to stabilize. Can we build a better coverage structure so time off is sustainable?”
A healthy organization understands that assistants are not machines. If the only way the system works is if you never unplug, that’s a leadership design issue, not a personal resilience issue.
Time off shouldn’t come with interest payments.