From the TDI/SDI website – by Darren Pace:
Some days, you just can’t resist the siren call of the water. You’re sitting at the office daydreaming about your next dive or sitting at home dreading going to the office the next day because all you can think about is a day of diving. If you need an excuse to miss a day of work, we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of the top ten excuses you can use to get out of work and get into the water. Try not to use them all at once.
Top 10 Excuses to Miss Work for a Day of Diving:
- “I’m taking a client diving!” – Honestly, how can your boss argue with that level of job commitment? Remember that this one only works if you could plausibly have clients to take out.
- “Ate Mexican last night… If you know what I mean.” – Chances are your boss will have heard enough at this point. Keep in mind that this one comes with significantly more embarrassment than other excuses.
- Vaguely tell the truth – It’s not technically a lie if you just happen to leave out a few minor details… Right? Right.
- “I’m working from home today.” – You can’t be blamed if the “work” you did accidentally disappeared from your computer’s hard drive. Everyone knows technology can be so unreliable these days.
- Volunteer – Find out what your boss is passionate about to really sell this one. Is your boss a sucker for animals? Then that means you were giving back to your local animal shelter, of course! Be smart with your philanthropy.
- Health crisis – Tell your boss you have an emergency follow-up appointment because those test results from your last doctor’s appointment were “abnormal.” You’ll get no arguments there.
- Duck out early – If your boss won’t buy an excuse for the whole day, just sneak out for an early lunch and have a good excuse for why you couldn’t come back. “On my way back from lunch I witnessed a terrible accident and had to give a statement.” As long as you sound apologetic, you’re home free.
- Strategic appointment scheduling – Schedule all of your appointments immediately before or after your dive time. This gives you an alibi for getting out of the office without looking suspicious.
- “I got my first gray hair!” – Gentlemen, this one may be more of a stretch for you than for your female counterparts, but if you’re running short on ideas, give it a try. Gray hairs are distressing.
- Be honest – If all else fails, just tell the truth. Your boss may appreciate your straightforwardness. You can always earn some brownie points and offer to take him or her along too.
Remember, the best excuses are ones you can back up. Your boss might need proof, which means you might need to do some researching — or some good photo editing! Think your story through and be convincing. Who knows? You just might end up with a reusable excuse.
And for the record, we don’t encourage lying. #noexcuses