Those work days when time appears to stand still can be soul destroying. Sometimes, it can be so tempting to find an excuse to leave work early. Or perhaps you need to find an excuse to start your weekend early so you can head off to an event.
This being said, there are many genuine reasons to cut your working day short. There might be something you need to do but don’t wish to provide details. Maybe you have a job interview and need time off but don’t want work to find out.
Whatever your reason, we aren’t here to judge. Our ideas for reasons to head home early will help smooth the path.
20 of the Best Excuses to Leave Work Early
It can feel a little like being back at school when it comes to asking to go home early.
You suddenly become fidgety and tongue tied and lose all train of thought. Compose yourself and take a look at our best excuses for leaving work early.
1. Bad Headache.
It doesn’t even need to be a full blown migraine to impact your working day.
Some headaches can make you feel nauseous and rough without being a migraine. If you spend your day staring at a screen, chances are yours will get worse as the day goes on.
Not many employers would refuse a request to finish early due to a pounding headache.
2. Food Poisoning.
Uh oh, you are now deeply regretting that chicken mayo sandwich you had at lunchtime.
You can feel it bubbling away in your tummy which now feels a bit like it is on a spin cycle. This excuse is a sure way of being granted an early finish.
No boss wants to put up with vomit and stomach cramps in the office.
3. Diarrhoea
Just stop there, enough said.
The word itself is enough to make your boss back away from you pronto. Who wants to share the loos with someone who has a runny tummy?
No thanks, get yourself home and grab some Imodium on your way.
4. Doctors Appointment
You need to go to the doctor. Sometimes this may fall on a work day and during work hours. As much as we try to avoid this, it isn’t always possible. More so the case if we have come down with a sudden illness that needs treatment.
5. Covid Symptoms
This is a topical excuse to use in the winter months,
You’ve come down with a sore throat, headache and a loss of taste or smell. Your manager will likely almost shove you out of the door!
This one is worth being a bit careful about though as you may be asked to stay off, even if you get a negative test result.
If you fancy a week off though – go for it!
6. Dentist Appointment
Toothache is one of life’s greatest miseries.
Anyone who has suffered from a toothache will feel immediately sympathetic to your cause.
No one wants to willingly visit the dentist so if you have an appointment, no one should stand in your way.
7. Family Emergency
You’ve just had a text from a family member and need to leave as soon as possible.
You don’t need to go into details, citing a family emergency will suffice. You can touch on the reason if you like such as; an accident, illness, or someone in labour. Beware though: this type of leave is not always paid. Check your contract!
8. Childcare Issues
This is a handy excuse to keep as a sure ringer to leave early.
After all, who would let a child remain uncollected from school when the after school club has had to close? Or perhaps the childminder has become poorly and is asking parents to collect their children early.
Drat, best you get going then.
9. Death of a Family Member or Friend
The death of someone close to us will mean we are not focused at all on work.
Whether the end is near, or they have already passed, people need time to process and come to terms with such a life changing event. Your boss would need to have a heart made of stone to question your need to finish early.
This is not one to use lightly, however.
10. Anxiety Attack
Mental health in the workplace must be taken seriously.
All employers have to look after employee welfare and this includes supporting their mental health. Having anxiety can come with many symptoms including breathlessness, a tight chest, dizziness and nausea.
This is a perfectly valid reason for finishing your shift earlier than planned.
11. You Have an Important Delivery.
It might be best to emphasise the important part here.
By this, we don’t mean that bottle of gin you purchased on Black Friday. Something big like a new phone that requires a signature or a new sofa.
Delivery drivers very rarely commit to a specific time as we all know. So this is a pretty valid excuse for leaving early or working from home for the day.
12. Bad Weather is Forecast.
No one can argue with the weatherman or woman.
If there is predicted bad weather on the way then this can be a handy way of finishing a little early. This will only work if you have a commute to work, if you live on the same street as the office, chances are you’ll be the one staying behind.
Examples of bad weather can include ice, snow, flooding and strong winds.
13. A Work Related Event such as Networking.
You may be meeting with clients that evening as part of a networking event.
In this case, you’ll need a few extra hours at home to prepare and get yourself ready. You don’t want to head there straight from work looking tired and dishevelled.
You need to impress these clients and that means getting a shower and a change of clothes.
14. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
CPD in the workplace is often a requirement and something your boss keeps an eye on.
So booking yourself on a course to further your knowledge will be viewed as a positive thing. Most workplaces allow reasonable time during work hours to complete courses relevant to your job.
After all, it is in the interest of everyone if you learn new skills in your role.
15. Personal Reasons
If it is a sensitive reason and you don’t want to go into any details then this is a handy one to use.
Sometimes, we don’t want to give a specific reason, especially if it’s sensitive. If you are looking for an excuse to leave early then this can be a useful one to bring out.
Don’t use it too often though, it will wear thin quite quickly unless more information is given.
16. Chronic Illness
Anyone with a chronic illness will tell you they have their good and bad days.
On the bad days, it can be hard to function in any sense of the word. On these days, trying to concentrate on work may become impossible.
Hopefully, your boss is understanding of such illnesses and will let you leave early on the odd occasion you need to.
17. Religious or Cultural Reasons
Sometimes you may need to attend an event for religious or cultural reasons.
Wherever possible, your boss should make allowances for such times. They will be aware of The Equality Act and the importance of following it.
A few examples of needing to leave early could be; attending a religious service, or celebrating a holiday or festival such as Eid.
18. A Home Emergency
A home emergency is unpredictable and fits in well with needing a last minute excuse to leave early.
Maybe your alarm is going off and your neighbour has alerted you or there has been a water leak. You’ll need to use something that needs your immediate attention for this to be validated.
19. Your Child is Sick.
School and their nasty germs…
It’s lunchtime and your child has turned whiter than white and claiming they feel sick. They are currently in the nurses’ room and need to be collected promptly. Your employer can’t argue with this so off you go.
20. The Car Needs Fixed.
Your car has been playing up so you’ve booked it in, better safe than sorry.
As good fortune has it, the mechanic can see you today. No one wants to be driving around in a potentially dangerous vehicle. This can be a useful excuse for finishing an hour or two early.
See Also:-
- Best sick day excuses – if you’d like to also take some unscheduled time off.
- Excuses to work from home – it doesn’t always have to be about leaving early. How about you don’t arrive at all?
- Good excuses for being late to work – some get out of jail cards when things go wrong!
Tips to Keep Your Excuses Believable
You’ve got your excuse ready, now to get it across in a believable manner. If you’re spinning a bit of a tale, appearing sincere is important.
If you fail and arouse your manager’s suspicions, it might just get brought up at your next performance or salary review. Ouch.
- Speak to your boss in person whenever possible. This personal approach will be far more believable than firing an email off.
- Giving notice may not always be possible, such as in the event of food poisoning. However, when you can give a little heads up in advance, it is best to.
- Clear communication is required. It can be tempting to go off on a tangent to justify leaving but it is far better to remain factual and on point.
- Make sure the reason you give is believable in the first instance. Employers aren’t daft and the more elaborate the reason, the less likely they will believe you.
- Come across as confident by looking your boss in the eyes when talking with them. If you are constantly avoiding eye contact and fidgeting, they will wonder how genuine you are being.
How to Ask to Leave Early
You need to sound apologetic yet assertive. Make it clear that you have to go. You can strike a balance between staying professional and not backing down by following our tips below.
- Consider any work protocols for requesting time off. You may need to put in a formal request so HR can keep a record of such absences. You will earn brownie points for being aware of this and acting on it.
- Be apologetic in your request and offer to make the time up when possible. Being a little humble with our excuse will go a long way.
- Try to stay professional even if the conversation isn’t going the way you envisioned. Stamping your feet and losing your temper is not going to help your cause at all.
- Try keeping the excuses to a minimum. Your boss is more likely to let you leave early if you are a hardworking employee with a good absence record.
- Let your manager know ASAP where possible. This gives them time to delegate your tasks to other members of staff.
- Timing is key. Pick your moments for the conversation as this can make all the difference. Try to avoid any rush periods when your boss is stressed or busy.
