20 Out of Office Message Examples That Actually Let You Unplug

20 hours ago

7 min read

The best out of office message examples do three things: say when you'll respond, name a real person who can help in the meantime, and make it clear you won't be checking email. That's it. Below are 20 copy-and-paste templates for vacations, holidays, sick days, mental health days, parental leave, and busy season, including client-facing versions for accounting, law, consulting, and finance.

If you're the dependable one everyone goes to, a vague auto reply won't protect your time off.

The short version:

Skip "limited access to email." It tells people you're reachable.
Name one person as your backup and say what they can help with.
Give the date you'll respond, not just the date you're back.
You don't owe anyone a reason. "Out of the office" is enough.

What to put in your out of office message

A good auto reply answers three questions for whoever's reading it: When will you be back? Who can help me now? Should I wait or move on? Build yours from these pieces:

The dates you're away, including the day you'll start responding again.
A plain statement that you won't be checking email.
One backup contact, with their name, email, and what they handle.
What happens to the message they just sent.
An urgent path, only if your role truly needs one.

Skip "limited access to email"

If I could delete one line from every auto reply, it would be "I'll have limited access to email." It sounds polite. So does "I'll be checking messages periodically." But both tell every reader you can be reached.

So the client who emails Sunday night sends one more "quick question." And you answer it. From the beach.

If you truly need to check in, say during a deal closing, name the exact time: "I'll check email once, on Wednesday at 10 a.m., for the year-end close." One planned check-in is a boundary. "Periodically" is an open door.

Name one real person as your backup

"Please contact my team" sends people into a maze. Give one name, one email, and what that person handles. Ask them first, and leave a one-page brief.

If your honest reaction is "It's faster if I just do it myself," try these delegation strategies for when you're mentally exhausted.

Vacation and holiday out of office message examples

Swap in your details wherever you see brackets. No backup? Cut that sentence and keep the return date.

1. Simple vacation auto reply

Thanks for your email. I'm out of the office from [start date] through [end date] and won't be checking email. I'll reply when I'm back on [return date]. For anything that can't wait, please contact [Name] at [email].

2. Vacation auto reply with a buffer day

Thank you for your message. I'm on vacation through [end date] and won't be checking email. I'll be back on [return date] and responding to messages by [buffer date]. If you need help sooner, [Name] at [email] can assist.

3. The full unplug

Thanks for reaching out. I'm on vacation through [end date] and won't be reading email while I'm away. If your message still needs my attention on [return date], please resend it then. For anything time-sensitive, contact [Name] at [email].

4. Warm version for your team

Hi, I'm out until [return date] and fully offline. [Name] is covering [project or responsibility] and has everything they need. I'll catch up when I'm back. Thanks for helping me actually unplug.

5. Holiday out of office message for office closures

Thank you for your email. Our office is closed for the holidays from [date] through [date]. I'll respond when we reopen on [date]. Wishing you a restful holiday season.

6. Thanksgiving or long weekend

Thanks for your note. I'm out of the office for the Thanksgiving holiday and won't be checking email. I'll reply when I'm back on [date]. If something can't wait, please contact [Name] at [email]. Happy Thanksgiving.

7. End-of-year holidays

Thanks for reaching out. I'm offline for the holidays through [date] and will reply after I return on [return date]. For anything urgent, [Name] at [email] is covering for me. Wishing you a peaceful end to the year.

Out of office messages for sick days, mental health days, and leave

You don't owe anyone a medical explanation. People emailing you need two facts: when you'll respond and who can help in the meantime.

8. Sick day

Thanks for your email. I'm out sick today and won't be checking messages. I'll reply when I'm back. If you need help today, please contact [Name] at [email].

9. Mental health day

Thank you for your message. I'm out of the office today and will respond on [date]. If your request is time-sensitive, please contact [Name] at [email].

Notice what's missing: the reason.

If one day off keeps turning into several, pay attention. These signs of burnout at work can help you sort it out, and a doctor or licensed mental health professional can help with next steps.

10. Family matter or bereavement

Thank you for your email. I'm out of the office for a family matter and won't be checking email. I'll be back on [date]. Please contact [Name] at [email] for anything that can't wait.

11. Extended medical leave

Thanks for reaching out. I'm on leave until [date] and won't be checking email during this time. For [team or account] matters, please contact [Name] at [email], who is covering my work.

12. Parental leave

Hello, and thanks for your email. I'm on parental leave until [date] and won't be checking messages. [Name] is handling my clients and projects while I'm out and can be reached at [email]. I'll catch up when I'm back.

Leave rules depend on your employer, location, and situation. In the US, the Department of Labor's FMLA page explains job-protected leave, and HR can walk you through your firm's policy. This is general information, not legal advice.

Out of office message examples for accounting, law, consulting, and finance

Clients only need to know one thing: their deadline is covered. Keep client names and matter details out of your auto reply, since anyone who emails you will see it.

13. Conference or CPE and CLE training

Thanks for your email. I'm attending [conference or training] through [date] and will reply when I'm back on [return date]. If you need help sooner, please contact [Name] at [email].

14. Business travel with one daily check-in

Thanks for your message. I'm traveling for work through [date]. I'll check email once a day at [time and time zone] for urgent items only. Everything else will get a reply when I'm back on [return date]. For immediate help, contact [Name] at [email].

15. Accountants and finance professionals

Thank you for your email. I'm out of the office until [date] and won't be checking email. If your question involves a filing, payment, or closing deadline before then, please contact [Name] at [email] or call our office at [phone]. I'll follow up on everything else when I'm back.

16. Lawyers

Thank you for your message. I'm out of the office until [date] and won't be monitoring email. If your matter is time-sensitive or involves a court deadline, please contact [Name], who is covering my matters, at [email] or [phone]. Messages sent to this inbox won't be read before [return date].

17. Consultants

Thanks for your email. I'm out of the office through [date] and offline. While I'm away, [Name] is leading [project or workstream] and can be reached at [email]. I'll reply to everything else when I'm back on [return date].

The next three work even when you're at your desk. They're boundaries at work that explain your response times for you.

18. Busy season response times

Thanks for your email. During busy season, through [date], I reply to messages within [two business days]. If your request is tied to a deadline in the next 48 hours, please call [phone] or email [Name] at [email].

19. Focus blocks

Thanks for your message. To give client work my full attention, I check email at [time] and [time] each day. I'll get back to you at my next check-in. If something is urgent, please call [phone].

20. After-hours auto reply

Thanks for your email. You've reached me outside my working hours, which are [hours and time zone]. I'll reply on my next workday. If this is urgent, please contact [Name] at [email].

Before you turn it on, hand off your work

Your auto reply is a sign on the door. It can't do the handoff for you, so before you leave, run every open item through the Handoff Filter:

Keep the work only you can do, and put it on your calendar for your first week back.
Hand off anything your backup can move forward, with written context and a deadline.
Automate or eliminate the recurring tasks a rule or template can handle, or that no one will miss.
Stop the things that have been dragging along without a purpose.

Then finish the prep:

Ask your backup first, then send them that one-page brief.
Tell your manager and key clients your dates a week or two ahead.
Decline meetings that fall during your time off.
Turn on your auto reply at the end of your last day.
Delete work email from your phone, or turn off notifications.
Keep your first morning back meeting-free.

For the bigger picture, here's how to take time off work and how to enjoy a vacation without guilt. If the hardest part is worrying people will think you're not committed, start with how to stop people pleasing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I say in my out of office message?

Say when you're out, when you'll respond, and who can help instead. Something like "I'm out through [date] and won't be checking email. For anything urgent, contact [Name] at [email]" covers it. Leave out the reason and the itinerary, since nobody needs them.

Should I say I have "limited access to email"?

Only if you plan to answer. "Limited access" tells people you're reachable, so they'll expect replies. If you'll check in on purpose, name the exact time, like "Wednesday at 10 a.m., for urgent deadlines only." Otherwise, say plainly that you won't be checking email.

When should I turn on my out of office message?

Turn it on at the end of your last workday, or a few hours earlier to slow down last-minute requests. Turn it off after your buffer day so you have time to catch up. For a sick day, set it as soon as you know you're out.

What if I don't have a backup contact?

Be specific about what happens next. Give the date you'll respond and ask people to resend anything still relevant then. For emergencies, list a general contact, like a front desk or your manager, with their permission. If no one can ever cover for you, raise that before your next time off.

Time off should feel like time off

If you've ever turned on your out of office and then thought, "I'll just check once tonight," this is for you.

That pull often isn't about the inbox. It can be a sign you've been carrying too much for too long.

Take the free burnout quiz to see where you stand. If you want help building boundaries that hold through busy season and beyond, that's what the Freedom 1:1 Coaching Program is for.

This article is for general education and isn't medical, mental health, or legal advice.