7 Reasons To Leave Work Early (A Complete List)

This article will discuss 7 reasons that are good enough to leave work early without seeming unprofessional. In this article we will also discuss why it is a good idea to think things through before you actually decide on leaving work early and why you should always have a good reason. The article will also point out bad reasons to leave work early 

7 Reasons To Leave Work Early

Here are 7 reasons that are good enough to leave work early on a regular day:

• Family Emergency
• You Feel Sick
• Religious Commitments
• Doctor’s Appointment
• Significant Family Events
• Nearing Burn Out
• Bad Weather

Let us take a look at each of the above reasons in detail!

Family Emergency

Family always comes first and this is something everyone understands – even your boss! If your child had an accident or needs you at their school then it is probably a good idea to leave work early and ensure everything is alright. In some cases you may not have children but you are a caregiver and hence need to go home early sometimes – you may have a sick parent or your wife may be experiencing complications during pregnancy. 

It is best to discuss early arrangements with your boss and co workers so that you are given most of your work during the early hours of the day. This is important and should be done so that if you need to leave early then you already know what you have to do in your free time at home.

You Feel Sick

If you feel sick then it is probably a good reason to go home early. Oftentimes feeling sick is the first symptom of something much worse to come – you might throw up later, get a high fever or an extremely upset stomach. Hence, it is best to ask for a leave at the first feelings of uneasiness in your body and get yourself home where you can better care for yourself or get the peace and privacy you need to feel better.

Feeling sick may be a difficult feeling or urge to discern. You may be motivated by work to stay but at the same time feel at unease and want to go home. It is always best to choose the latter option and go home – you never know what is around the corner.

Religious & Cultural Commitments

In today’s diverse global village, people from all over the world are working in your office. Some people belong to different cultures, religions, nationalities and ethnicities, however, they all have some sort of religious or cultural commitment to attend to. In this case, employees should understand that if they need to cater to such commitments then there is no need to hesitate because this is something most, if not all, people experience and hence is a good reason to leave work early. 

After all, how many religious or cultural commitments can one have in a year right? We might be wrong there! Regardless of that, taking an early leave from work here seems like a genuine enough reason!

Doctor’s Appointment

It is never wise to miss your doctor’s appointment. Nowadays, when people have so many issues especially with so many of them visiting the doctor for a mere cough – let us take that back actually – it is quite difficult to get an appointment.

Hence, one good reason to leave work early is if you have a doctor’s appointment. Usually, one is given a time according to the doctor’s availability and hence you do not have much choice. Also with the long working day where you have at least 8 hour work days, it is difficult to get an appointment at a suitable time after work hours. On top of that, getting to the doctor’s office on time may be a bit of a hassle. If you miss the appointment, it can mean another week or entire month’s wait!

So, it is our advice! If you have an appointment to get to then take the day off at work or leave your office earlier than you usually do – your boss will understand!

Significant Family Events

We all know how important it is for us to be at our son’s soccer match or our daughter’s first play. Missing such events is not only a loss for the parents but it leaves kids devastated – more than we realize it. It is important to ensure that work does not prevent one from attending significant events in the family life. Keeping in mind efforts put in by people all over the world to make sure they give enough time to their family, anyone – including your boss and co workers – would understand if you had to leave early.

Nearing Burn Out

Ever had those days where you seem to be pushing yourself to the edge, not just physically but mentally. Yes you could be nearing a burnout and you need a break. This can happen any time and when it does you know something is seriously wrong. It prevents you from doing even the simplest of tasks that took no effort before. 

In case you feel tired mentally, request an early leave from work. It is necessary that you take care of your mental health because that is one of the few important factors – probably the most significant one – that allows you to work effectively.

Bad Weather

Everyone may not be able to relate to this but in most parts of the world, bad weather actually means bad weather. If you live somewhere where there are freak weather incidents like tornados, hurricanes, hailstorms or crazy thunderstorms, it is best to leave work early especially if you live a bit far off. You never know what nature might throw at you in the blink of an eye.

Bad Reasons To Leave Work Early

Just like there are good reasons to leave work early, there are bad reasons too that we have listed below:

• Attending A Friend’s Party
• Meeting Your Significant Other
• Just Don’t Feel Like Working Today

It is not a good sign to want to leave work early often and may affect your repute at the office. It can also be a bad sign to employers who may be considering giving you a promotion. Here we will look at what reasons are not good enough to leave work early.

Attending A Friend’s Party

First of all, if they are your friend then they should have kept the party at a time when you are free. Nonetheless, if you are faced with a situation where you have work and a friend has a party to which they have invited you then you need to set your priorities straight. You are working with a company that not only counts on you to be responsible and serious but they also want to know how you have set your priorities. 

If you tell your boss you want to leave work early just for a party it won’t give a good impression. Not only will they think you leave work for the smallest of reasons but at this age and stage of life, they will have second thoughts when they see you leaving work for parties. Also, it will be more difficult to get days off or early leaves for more important events.

Meeting Your Significant Other

Your significant other can motivate you to do a lot of things – many of which are not always wise or recommended. One of them is leaving work early just to meet them. If you do this one it will soon become a habit of yours and an expectation your significant other will have from you so it’s better to keep things straight from day 1. Your significant other also needs to respect your work and must realize that you too have priorities.

Just Don’t Feel Like Working Today

Don’t worry! This is a feeling most people get and they get it throughout the day! Maybe finding a more suitable job in the future or starting your own passion might fix the problem! Nonetheless, if you start taking early leaves from work just because you don’t feel like working – beware! You are developing an unhealthy habit that will be hard to break off.

Conclusion

The article discussed 7 reasons in detail that are good enough to leave work early and why. Furthermore, it also apprised readers of reasons that are not good enough or professional to leave work and why. The article also explained how taking early and frequent leaves on a regular basis or weak grounds can have a bad effect on you or your job.